Norwegian Air International

Norwegian Air International was an Irish airline and fully integrated subsidiary of Norwegian Air Shuttle, using its corporate identity. It operated flights to destinations in Europe and the Middle East from various European bases, and was headquartered at Dublin Airport.[1] Between 2017 and 2019, it also offered services from Europe to the United States and Canada. In the years following, its aircraft were gradually transferred to Swedish sister airline Norwegian Air Sweden and its parent company, until the last of its aircraft were transferred by April 2021, with its operations also taken over by the Swedish airline.

Norwegian Air International
IATA ICAO Callsign
D8 IBK NORTRANS
FoundedFebruary 2014
Ceased operationsApril 2021
AOC #IE 63/14
Operating bases
Frequent-flyer programNorwegian Reward
Fleet size19
Destinationssee List of Norwegian Air Shuttle destinations
Parent companyNorwegian Air Shuttle
HeadquartersImbus House, Dublin Airport, Ireland
Key peopleTore Jenssen (CEO)
Bjørn Kjos
Websitenorwegian.com

History
A former Norwegian Air International Boeing 737-800
A former Norwegian Air International Boeing 737 MAX 8

In February 2014, Norwegian Air International received its operating licence and air operator's certificate issued by Ireland.[2] Its flights were operated under its own IATA and ICAO airline codes, using its own fleet registered in Ireland.[3][4] The airline shared the same branding with its parent Norwegian Air Shuttle and integrated subsidiaries as Norwegian Group airlines. Its registration within Ireland and outside Norway allowed the company to take advantage of European Union airline freedoms and agreements.[5]

In February 2017, Norwegian Air International announced it would start transatlantic flights to the United States from the United Kingdom and Ireland in summer 2017 on behalf of its parent company, using the parent's new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft expected to be delivered from May 2017.[6][7]

Norwegian Air International performed its first transatlantic flight with a Boeing 737-800 on 16 June 2017 between Edinburgh Airport and Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, New York.[8] The first transatlantic flight with a 737 MAX was performed on 15 July 2017, with a MAX 8 featuring Sir Freddie Laker on its tailfin, between Edinburgh Airport in Scotland and Bradley International Airport serving Hartford, Connecticut, followed by a second daily rotation from Edinburgh to Stewart International Airport.[9] Additional transatlantic flights using Boeing 737 aircraft were launched between destinations including Belfast, Bergen, Cork, Dublin, and Shannon in Europe to Hamilton, Hartford, Newburgh, and Providence in North America, however all transatlantic flights using the Boeing 737 were subsequently discontinued by 15 September 2019.[10] On 11 May 2018, its US Department of Transportation approval was maintained by a judicial panel after being challenged by four unions representing 135,000 airline workers.[11]

In March 2021, parent company Norwegian Air Shuttle's CFO Geir Karlsen reported that its Boeing 737 MAX fleet, some examples of which were registered to Norwegian Air International, would not resume operations and that the fleet would be retired.[12] By April 2021, the remainder of its fleet was either returned to lessors or transferred to Norwegian Air Shuttle or Norwegian Air Sweden, while the flight operations and bases it maintained on behalf of the Norwegian Group were transferred to Norwegian Air Sweden. This allowed its parent company to further consolidate its structure of AOCs, by retiring its Irish AOC and maintaining its Swedish AOC for operations outside of Norway but within the rest of the EU.[13]

Destinations
Main article: List of Norwegian Air Shuttle destinations

Norwegian Air International operated in conjunction with parent company Norwegian Air Shuttle and its integrated subsidiaries, together forming Norwegian Group. The airline's operating bases were in countries outside of Norway and Sweden as part of Norwegian Group's collective route network, with the airline having bases in Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States over the course of its history.

Fleet

The Norwegian Air International fleet consisted of the following aircraft by April 2021:[14][15]

Norwegian Air International fleet
Aircraft In service Orders Passengers Notes
Boeing 737-800 19 — 186 Transferred to Norwegian Air Shuttle or returned to lessors.
Total 19 —

Historic fleet

Norwegian Air International previously operated the following aircraft prior to the closure and transferal of its operations and fleet:[14]

Norwegian Air International former fleet
Aircraft Total Introduced Retired Notes
Boeing 737 MAX 8 9 2017 2021 All but two were transferred to Norwegian Air Sweden prior to retirement.

References
  1. "AIR OPERATOR CERTIFICATE HOLDERS". Archived from the original on 8 November 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  2. "Norwegian Long Haul". Air-Britain News. Air-Britain: 1607. September 2013. ISSN 0950-7442.
  3. Rogers, Valerie (3 December 2016). "Norwegian Flights Win U.S. Government Approval Despite Opposition". Norcal News.
  4. Jansen, Bart (2 December 2016). "DOT Approves Contested Norwegian Air Flights". USA Today.
  5. "Norwegian gains Irish AOC". Flightglobal.com.
  6. "Norwegian unveils £69 flights to the USA from 5 UK and Irish cities" (Press release). Norwegian Air. 23 February 2017.
  7. Ostrower, Jon (26 January 2017). "Norwegian leapfrogs Southwest as first 737 Max operator". CNN. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  8. "New era budget travel Norwegian begins Boeing 737 flights Europe". USA Today. 16 June 2017.
  9. Moores, Victoria (18 July 2017). "Norwegian performs first transatlantic 737 MAX flight". Aviation Week Network.
  10. Martyn, Petula (13 August 2019). "Norwegian Air to discontinue transatlantic routes from Ireland". RTE.ie. Raidió Teilifís Éireann. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  11. Field, James (13 May 2018). "Norwegian Air Operations Upheld by US Federal Courts". Airways International.
  12. "Norwegian fliegt nie wieder Boeing 737 Max" [Norwegian never flies Boeing 737 MAX again]. aeroTELEGRAPH (in German). 4 March 2021.
  13. "Company presentation" (PDF). Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA. 14 April 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2021. Consolidated AOC-structure with one EU and one Norwegian AOC with full flexibility on crew and clear accountability
  14. "Norwegian Air International Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  15. "Latest Register and Monthly Changes". Irish Aviation Authority. 30 September 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2017.

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