Tuesday, August 25, 2009

DTN News: Norwegian Air Shuttle Completes Milestone With First Direct Purchase And Delivery Of A Boeing 737-800

DTN News: Norwegian Air Shuttle Completes Milestone With First Direct Purchase And Delivery Of A Boeing 737-800
*Source: DTN News / Boeing
(NSI News Source Info) SEATTLE, USA - August 25, 2009: Boeing [NYSA:BA] and Norwegian Air Shuttle management and airline staff celebrated Friday as the low-cost airline completed its first direct purchase and delivery of a new 737-800 at Boeing Field in Seattle, Wash. Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, trading as Norwegian, is the fifth-largest low-cost airline in Europe, and the second-largest airline in Scandinavia. In 2008, it transported 9.1 million people on 150 routes to 82 destinations, covering across Europe into North Africa and the Middle East. As of October 2008, Norwegian operates 41 Boeing 737 and McDonnell Douglas MD-80 aircraft. The main hub is Oslo Airport, Gardermoen, but Norwegian also has Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger, Moss, Copenhagen, Stockholm and Warsaw as focus cities. It offers a high-frequency domestic operation in Norway, combined with a low-frequency service to international destinations from its focus cities. Norwegian was founded in 1993 as a regional airline taking over routes in Western Norway after the bankruptcy of Busy Bee. Until 2002, it operated Fokker 50 aircraft on wet lease for Braathens. Following the two domestic incumbents Braathens and Scandinavian Airlines merger, Norwegian took the opportunity to establish a domestic low-cost carrier. It has since expanded quickly, establishing itself in Warsaw and purchasing Swedish airline FlyNordic in 2007, and entering the Copenhagen market in 2008. The same year it delivery of its first brand new Boeing 737-800. Norwegian Air Shuttle CEO Bjorn Kjos said the delivery of the 737-800 marks an important milestone in the Oslo, Norway-based airline’s history. “Having already leased 13 Boeing 737-800s, we know there are good reasons why the Next-Generation 737 is the best-selling airplane in the world,” said Kjos. “It’s because Boeing is constantly improving the 737 family of airplanes. It’s the right answer for a point-to-point airline like Norwegian Air Shuttle.” Kjos said Norwegian Air Shuttle’s 737-800 features new more comfortable seats and increased legroom for passenger comfort. Major improvements to the Next-Generation 737 include the creation of the new Boeing Sky Interior, modeled after the 787 Dreamliner's cabin architecture, and the addition of Blended Winglets, which enhance the airplane’s environmental performance. All Norwegian Air Shuttle 737s feature Blended Winglets. All Norwegian Air Shuttle 737 orders will include the Boeing Sky Interior upon its introduction in 2010.

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