Norwegian, the airline, is celebrating its 20th anniversary in Sweden, marking two decades of operations in the country. On September 1, 2003, Norwegian commenced its flight operations in Sweden, and during this time, it has served over 70 million passengers, with more than 65 million flying to and from Stockholm Arlanda Airport alone.
Norwegian’s inaugural flight took off on September 1, 2002, flying from Oslo to Bergen, marking the airline’s establishment. Since then, Norwegian has served over 300 million passengers across its entire route network. This celebration signifies 20 years of Norwegian’s presence in Sweden.
Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian, expressed gratitude to passengers for their loyalty over the years, emphasizing Sweden’s importance as one of their key markets. Norwegian currently employs 4,700 people and operates a comprehensive route network with over 110 destinations connecting the Nordic region to the rest of Europe. In Sweden, Norwegian serves ten airports, including Stockholm Arlanda Airport, offering direct flights to approximately 50 destinations. Recently, the airline expanded its operations in Sweden by introducing direct flights to Spain from Stockholm Skavsta Airport and Växjö Småland Airport.
Charlotte Ljunggren, Director Market and Commercial Development at Swedavia, noted the strong confidence in the Swedish air travel market and emphasized the significance of flight accessibility in attracting visitors to Sweden.
Norwegian is also committed to sustainability, aiming to reduce emissions by 45 percent by 2030, aligning with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5-degree goal. To achieve this, the company focuses on renewing its aircraft fleet with more fuel-efficient planes, implementing advanced weather and wind data in cockpit operations for greater efficiency, and gradually increasing the use of fossil-free aviation fuels.
Additionally, the press release includes some interesting historical insights:
- In 2003, a one-way flight ticket between Stockholm Arlanda and Oslo cost SEK 296 only when booked online.
- In 2002, 20 percent of airline tickets were booked online, a number that increased to 44 percent in 2003 and further to over 80 percent in 2005, highlighting the growing trend of online bookings in the airline industry.
