Norwegian Air Shuttle (Norwegian.com) (Oslo) and easyJet (UK) (London-Luton) have become early adopters of a new “two persons” cockpit rule in the wake of the devastating news of what caused Germanwings flight 4U 9525 to crash in the French Alps. The rule is already in place in the United States.
In addition, Deutsche Welle is reporting “Germany’s BDL aviation federation announced late Thursday that airlines such as Lufthansa and Airberlin intended to immediately enact the two-person rule in consultation with the Federal Office of Civil Aviation.”
Above Copyright Photo: Keith Burton/AirlinersGallery.com. In celebration of the new 26th base at Amsterdam, easyJet has introduced this new Amsterdam logo jet on Airbus A319-111 G-EZDN (msn 3608) painted at Southend. The new theme was rolled out of the paint shop on March 25.
In other news, overshadowed by the stunning Germanwings crash investigation announcements, easyJet yesterday (March 26) celebrated the opening of its new base at Francisco de Sรก Carneiro Airport in Porto. Three new UK routes from Manchester, Bristol and London Luton Airports to the new Porto base will be launched this summer.
Flights from Bristol to Porto will commence on April 19 and operate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Porto is the 25th base of easyJetโs network and the airline will also inaugurate its 26th base in Amsterdam on March 31.
easyJet started its operations in Portugal in 1999 and flies now to 48 destinations in Europe being the third largest airline in the country with 12% market share and more than 4 million passengers carried in 2014. easyJet flies to Faro, Funchal, Porto and Lisbon and from 29 March a service will start connecting the capital with Ponta Delgada in Azores.
Top Copyright Photo: Paul Bannwarth/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Boeing 737-8JP WL LN-NIF (msn 39434) with Finnish writer and social activist Minna Canth on the tail arrives at Tenerife Sur.
Norwegian Air Shuttle (Norwegian Air Norway) (Norwegian.com) (Oslo) has announced the devastating strike by its pilots, represented by the Norwegian Pilots Association (NPU), is over after 11 days of strikes. The airline today is attempting to get back to a normal schedule and will transport the affected passengers.
Norwegian CEO Bjorn Kjos stated “Norwegian has gone far to get a solution to the conflict which lasted for 11 days”. According to the company (translated from Norwegian);
“For Norwegian it has been important to enter into contracts that give the board and management the right to continue to build a modern group structure that makes the company competitive internationally. It also has been central to the negotiations to not sacrifice the commercial management and the ability to adapt the company in an industry that is constantly changing. The company has introduced the collective defined contribution pension even for pilots, a reduced Loss of Licence (LOL) insurance and some increased flexibility in working hours.
The Scandinavian pilots have received a new collective agreement with conditions that remain among the best in the industry. The agreement has been concluded with the pilot companies they are now employed. Norwegian has also sent a special employment guarantee for all pilots who are employed in Scandinavia today. Such a guarantee is unique in Scandinavian workplace and in a competitive industry like the aviation industry. Employment guarantee is the collective agreement and applies until October 2017.”
Copyright Photo: Paul Bannwarth/AirlinersGallery.com. A dramatic photo of Boeing 737-86N LN-NOJ (msn 37884) landing at volcanic Tenerife Sur (TFS) in the Canary Islands.
Norwegian Air Shuttle (Norwegian Air Norway) (Norwegian.com) (Oslo) continues to face a strike by its pilots after overnight mediated talks on a new collective agreement failed. The strike today enters the eighth day. The strike by its pilots, represented by the NPU and labor group Parat, will continue indefinitely. As a result Norwegian is canceling today all flights in Norway and Sweden and most flights between the Scandinavian capitals.
Norwegian issued a statement (translated from Norwegian):
“Norwegian has submitted several proposals that provide all the Scandinavian pilots job security, employment guarantee for three years, to keep their good wage conditions and not the least, their ties with the parent company. Therefore it is extremely sad that it was not possible to reach an agreement with Norwegian Pilot Union (NPU) and Parat with the national mediator. The strike continues, unfortunately indefinitely.
Norwegian deeply regrets that the strike will continue and that travelers, employees and others are affected. After many hours of negotiations on Friday night to Saturday, both sides failed to reach a solution. Norwegian wants an end to the strike and has gone a long way economically to end the strike and bring peace to the Group. The company has submitted written guarantees to the NPU on key points that job security, job security, and to become attached to the group.”
Copyright Photo: Paul Bannwarth/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-81D LN-NOR (msn 39412) completes the final approach into beautiful Tenerife Sur (Tenerife South Airport) in the Canary Islands.
Norwegian Air Shuttle (Norwegian Air Norway) (Norwegian.com) (Oslo) is struggling with a crippling strike by its two pilot groups,ย NPU and Parathyroid. Norwegian has issued this statement (translated from Norwegian) to the two groups giving the unions a deadline to come to the negotiating table:
Norwegian will soon go into the seventh day of pilot strikes creating a state of emergency throughout the Group. Enough is enough. Over 100,000 travelers have so far been affected by the pilot strikes. The management of Norwegian Air Norway (NAN) has received authority from the management of the parent company to save the group from the current crisis. There is also a clear desire of some pilots in Norway, Sweden and Denmark will have the opportunity to influence their own future.
Attempts to get negotiationsย going haveย failed with the unions.
There are different situations in the three Scandinavian countries and the Norwegian has received questions from the Swedish and Danish pilots who do not want to risk their own workplace a result of, among other things, the NPU’s requirements for defined benefit pension. The Danish pilots already have a Danish pension and the Swedish pilots have their Swedish pensions.
Norwegian has always been set to reach a settlement with the NPU and Parathyroid but management does not want or can assign to a group of employees to take control of Norwegiankoncernen. NAN has now given the NPU and Parathyroid one last chance to immediately come to the negotiating table.
The airline has given a deadline to the NPU and Parathyroid unions to come to the negotiating table.
Copyright Photo: Paul Bannwarth/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Norwegian Air Shuttle (Norwegian.no) Boeing 737-8Q8 WL LN-NOD (msn 35280) with Sonja Henie on the tail arrives at Las Palmas (Gran Canaria).
Norwegian Air Shuttle (Norwegian Air Norway) (Norwegian.com) (Oslo) will be impacted by a pilots strike tomorrow (March 4) affecting operations in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. The pilots, as previously reported, are represented by the NPU. The pilots are protesting the outsourcing of jobs. Norwegian has issued this statement (translated from Norwegian):
Over 35 000 customers will be affected tomorrow by a pilot strike at Norwegian. Norwegian’s management has since the weekend been trying to reach a solution with the Norwegian Pilot Union (NPU) and the union Parat to avoid even more travelers suffering, without success.
Despite several attempts by the Norwegian’s leadership to get to constructive talks to avoid an escalation of the strike, this has not been possible to get into a dialogue. This leads unfortunately that all domestic flights in Norway, Sweden and Denmark set for tomorrow, Wednesday March 4, will be impacted. All departures between the Scandinavian capitals are also set.
Norwegian really regrets that passengers will be affected by the flight cancellations. We will do everything we can to take care of our passengers in the best possible way. Anyone who has registered a mobile phone number on his Norwegian-profile and will be affected by the strike will receive SMS by Norwegian.
Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Norwegian Air Shuttle Boeing 737-8JP LN-NOW (msn 37817) with Oda Krohg on the tail taxies from the gate at Trondheim, Norway (TRD).
Norwegian Air Norway (Norwegian Air Shuttle) (Oslo) is a subsidiary of Norwegian Air Shuttle.
Norwegian Air Shuttle recently transferred its first aircraft (Norwegian registered LN-DYY, msn 39012) to the Irish registry according to Skyliner Aviation. The Boeing 737-8JP was reregistered on the Irish registry as EI-FHA on February 17. Ireland is part of European Union. Under Ireland, Norwegian registered aircraft will be able to operate on more European routes due to the prevailing bilateral restrictions from Norway to the EU.
In February 2014, Norwegian Air Shuttle’s Irish subsidiary, Norwegian Air International, received its Air Operators Certificate (AOC). The AOC issued in Ireland gives the company future traffic rights to and from the European Union. Norwegian Air International is seeking rights to operate the Boeing 787s to the United States and theoretically replace Norwegian Long Haul.
The Norwegian Long Haul Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners (currently operating on long range routes) are also registered in Ireland. Norwegian Long Haul however has a separate Norwegian AOC with the IATA code of DU.
All aircraft operate under the “Norwegian” brand.
According to News in English (from Norway) the pilots are striking because airline management wants to “cut their pensions, pay and insurance benefits”. According to the report, the pilots are “fightingย for a permanent collective bargaining agreement with Norwegian Airโs parent company, Norwegian Air Shuttle.” The union also fears the company will try to replace them with cheaper crews from crewing agencies or possibly declare bankruptcy.
Meanwhile Norwegian Air Norway (Oslo) issued this statement:
Norwegian regrets that it was not possible to reach an agreement in mediation between the subsidiary Norwegian Air Norway (NAN) and the Norwegian Pilot Union (NPU). Norwegian’s goal remains to implement this weekend flights so far as is possible when a limited number of pilots have been on strike in the first round.
Norwegian had before the mediation proposed several completely necessary cost savings to ensure a sustainable business and future jobs. Unfortunately, the NPU / Parathyroid did not comply with these requirements but instead presented a claim that goes in the wrong direction relative to the agreements reached at the previous hearing in 2013. NPU demand the right to control the Norwegiankoncernen, collective agreements with a company they are employed in, and that the Norwegian collective agreement shall also apply outside Norway. Norwegian could not accept the requirement for koncernansenitet for NAN pilots, ie ansenitet in a company they are employed in. In practice, it would have given Scandinavian pilots the opportunity to oust colleagues at the other bases in Europe.
We really regret the uncertainty being created among our passengers. Our goal has always been to avoid a strike and get a solution and peace in the company. Now we will do what we can to take care of the passengers in the best possible way, says Norwegian’s CEO Bjรธrn Kjos.
The conflict comes for Norwegian Scandinavian subsidiary Norwegian Air Norway (NAN). This means that long routes between Scandinavia / UK and USA / Asia runs as usual. The bases in England, Finland and Spain are also not directly concerned.
Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best/AirlinersGallery.com. Registered in Norway, Boeing 737-86N LN-NOQ (msn 32658) departs from London (Gatwick).
Norwegian Air Shuttle (Norwegian.com) (Oslo) recorded a net loss of NOK 1.05 billion ($138.5 million) for 2014, a surprising change from a net profit of NOK 322 million $42.4 million) in 2013. Norwegian blamed the reversal on its expansion and fuel hedging. The airline issued these details (translated from Norwegian):
Norwegian’s results for 2014 are characterized by strong revenue growth, increase in capacity and investment for the future. Fuel hedging for 2015 represents a major expense item on the 459 million Norwegian kroner, which affects the annual result significantly. Major expenses for 2015 has thus been taken already in the beginning of the year. Results for the year amounted to -1.05 billion NOK compared to 322 million Norwegian kroner for 2013.
After seven years of surpluses presents Norwegian negative annual results. Sales amounted however, to 19.5 billion NOK – an increase of 25 percent. Capacity (ASK) increased by 35 percent, yet the load factor of 81 percent, up three percentage points from the previous year. A total of 24 million passengers traveled with Norwegian in 2014, an increase of 16 percent from 2013.
For the fourth quarter totaled underlying earnings to the same level as in 2013. The deficit of -958 million NOK depends largely on fuel hedging for 2015 and a weak krone. Thanks to the transfer of large parts of the Norwegian’s fleet to the subsidiary Arctic Asset Aviation Ltd. (AAA), the value of aircraft increased as the dollar. This has had a positive effect on 361 million Norwegian kroner on equity, which effectively compensates currency losses for operations during the fourth quarter of 2014.
Explanation of results in 2014
Major changes in exchange rates and fuel hedging for 2015 negatively impacted earnings and accounted for 690 million Norwegian kroner for the year as a whole. Furthermore, delays in the long lines cost the company 265 million Norwegian kroner in 2014. These costs include lease expenses, additional fuel and the cost of hotels, food and drink to delayed passengers. Cost of delay in the approval of the EU’s application for a US pilot’s license totaled EUR 117 million Norwegian kroner. Only “one-man strike” among cabin staff union Parat effected in May 2014 being accounted for 101 million Norwegian kroner.
Fourth quarter 2014
In the fourth quarter the Norwegian 4.6 billion Norwegian kroner, an increase of 22 percent compared to the same quarter last year. Profit amounted to SEK -958 million NOK compared to -194 million Norwegian kroner last year. During the fourth quarter flew 5.65 million passengers, with the company which corresponds to a passenger growth of eight percent. Capacity growth increased further towards the end of the year to 21 percent, while load factor increased by three percentage points to 81 percent.
“There is no reason to hide the fact that 2014 was a weak year for Norwegian. At the same time, we see several bright spots in the beginning of 2015. 2014 was marked by international expansion, particularly substantial investment in long-haul traffic. We notice that our growth strategy takes the form of an even stronger foothold internationally. Despite high investment costs, we have managed to reduce unit costs and renewed fleet further so that the average age is now down to 4 years.
We enter 2015 with good demand for air travel and get the full effect of low oil prices during the first quarter. Meanwhile, there is no doubt that the costs must be reduced further to ensure the company’s competitiveness in a very tough industry”, says Norwegian’s CEO Bjรธrn Kjos.
Copyright Photo: SPA/AirlinersGallery.com. Norwegianย Boeing 737-8JP WL LN-NGD (msn 39049) with the image of Ivo Caprino on the tail arrives at Gatwick Airport near London.
Norwegian Air Shuttle (Norwegian.com) (Oslo) has announced new weekly nonstop flights between Stockholm (Arlanda) and Bastia in Corsica starting on April 25. Additionally the airline will launch new twice-weekly nonstop flights between Madrid and Nice starting on March 29 as well as weekly flights between London (Gatwick) and Kefalonia in Greece on April 18.
Copyright Photo: SPA/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-8Q8 LN-NOD (msn 35280) with Sonja Henie on the tail approaches the runway at Gatwick Airport near London.
Norwegian Air Shuttle (Norwegian.com) (Oslo) set a new passenger ย record in 2014 with nearly 24 million passengers. The carrier transported three million more passengers in 2014 than the previous year. Since its inception in 2002, 130 million passengers have traveled with Norwegian.
According to the airline, “2014 was characterized by high capacity growth but also a high load factor. The load factor in 2014 was 81 percent against 78 percent in 2013. In 2014, the airline renewed the fleet considerably, launched many new routes – both intercontinental and in Europe and established new bases in the United States and Spain.”
Copyright Photo: SPA/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-8JP LN-DYG (msn 39165) with Swedish opera singer, Jenny Lind, arrives in London at Gatwick Airport.
Norwegian Air Shuttle (Oslo) has again called on the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to approve its pending Irish application to operate its Boeing 787s as Norwegian Air International (NAI) (Dublin). The 787s are currently operated by Norwegian subsidiary Norwegian Long Haul although the aircraft are registered in Ireland. The airline issued this statement claiming the DOT has “received strong opposition from those interests seeking to undermine competition, limit consumer choice and maintain the status quo”. Here is the full statement:
Norwegian Air Shuttle CEO Bjรธrn Kjos, who will address a standing-room only audience on November 20 at the International Aviation Club, will reinforce the benefits Norwegian Air International (NAI) service will bring to competition in the transatlantic market, the traveling public, and the global aviation industry. Kjos will again call on the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to once and for all approve Norwegian’s application for a foreign air carrier permit that will provide American consumers lower fares and greater choice in air travel.
“Norwegian’s vision is ‘Everyone Should Afford to Fly,’ and it is a principle we intend to bring to individuals and families seeking to travel between the United States and Europe,” said Mr. Kjos. “NAI will provide the traveling public with an innovative, low-cost option that offers award-winning service to new and underserved destinations on brand-new Boeing Dreamliner aircraft. DOT approval of NAI’s application is the final barrier preventing American consumers from the choice they so desperately want and deserve.”
Norwegian Air International, which completed its DOT foreign air carrier permit application in February 2014, has received strong opposition from those interests seeking to undermine competition, limit consumer choice and maintain the status quo. Close to 90 percent of transatlantic air traffic is controlled by the three airline mega-alliances that are permitted to operate with immunity from U.S. antitrust laws. As a consequence, airfares have risen significantly without commensurate improvements in service, and “capacity discipline” by the alliances has severely limited growth in the number of available passenger seats while pushing U.S. airline profits to record levels.
“I believe the values of innovation, competition and the rule of law โ so highly prized here in the United States โ will serve to overcome the opposition NAI has received from entrenched interests,” said Kjos. “I am confident that adherence to international agreements and the law will be the factors upon which DOT ultimately relies to decide this matter. I am equally confident NAI’s application will be approved by DOT, albeit far overdue.”
Norwegian Air International will open a market of new travelers previously unable to afford the high fares currently offered by the legacy carriers, while serving more destinations worldwide. NAI will directly contribute to President Obama’s goal of generating 100 million foreign visitors to the United States by 2021. Norwegian already employs 300 American cabin crewmembers in Fort Lauderdale and New York, and currently is recruiting American pilots at its New York pilot base. Of the 300 cabin crew, for which Norwegian received more than 7,00 applications, the vast majority worked previously for U.S. airlines and chose to join Norwegian for the pay, benefits and team-spirited environment.
NAI meets all statutory and regulatory requirements to serve the United States and is entitled to DOT approval “with minimum procedural delay” under the U.S.โE.U. Air Transport Agreement. Nevertheless, a full nine months after applying to DOT, NAI continues to await a decision that will allow it to begin low-fare transatlantic service to and from the United States.
“The time is well-past due for the Department of Transportation to fulfill its legal responsibility and approve NAI’s application,” said Kjos.
Copyright Photo: Steve Bailey/AirlinersGallery.com. Norwegian Long Haul’s Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner EI-LNG (msn 35314) with Edvard Munch, Norwegian artist, on the tail, arrives in Los Angeles.
Norwegian aircraft slide show:ย
Video: By sjcbenw. Description:ย Cockpit view of Norwegian Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner landing Runway 01R at Stockholm Arlanda (ARN).
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