Norwegian passenger numbers rebound as it unveils new Autumn routes
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Budget carrier Norwegian has enjoyed a lift to passenger numbers in recent weeks, as demand for the beleaguered travel industry rebounded in the summer months.
Some 790,000 passengers flew with Norwegian in August, around one and a half times more than in the same month last year.
The airline added that the number of future bookings has also seen a boost in interest, in line with its expanding route network.
“We are pleased with the positive increase in passenger numbers and demand,” CEO Geir Karlsen said.
“Everybody at Norwegian has worked incredibly hard to achieve these results.”
As more people are fully vaccinated and countries begin to accept international Covid-19 certificates for travel, Norwegian has bolstered its route offering for Autumn.
In hopes to drag out holiday and travel demand past the usual summer taper, the budget carrier has opened new routes direct to Berlin, Krakow, Malaga, Alicante, Antalya, Chania, Copenhagen and London.
Norwegian has also opened several routes that were suspended earlier in the pandemic, its CEO said in a statement.
“It is now possible again to travel to several cities in Europe, such as Pisa, Edinburgh, Munich, Prague and Vienna,” Karlsen said.
Just last week the carrier hailed a “clear improvement” in its financial position as bookings at the carrier continued to increase.
The airline, which recently emerged from a brutal restructuring period, reported revenues of 591m Norwegian crowns (£49.6m) in the first half of the year.
Following the completion of an arduous six month restructuring process in May, Norwegian will operate solely as a short-haul airline, having discontinued the transatlantic operation that fuelled its rapid growth.