Norwegian wins defence contract over SAS

Norwegian Airlines has won a four-year contract for providing flight services to the defence sector in Norway and the Nordic region. The agreement, valued at about one billion Norwegian kroner (approximately 100 million euros), involves approximately 250,000 yearly trips for Defence, Ministry of Defence, and Defence Material employees. Norwegian was selected due to its flexible flight schedules, competitive pricing, and commitment to sustainability.

This defence contract, one of the largest in Norway, designates Norwegian as the flight provider for the Defence Logistics Organisation (FLO) for the next four years. Norwegian plans to reintroduce direct routes from Oslo to Bardufoss with 17 weekly flights and from Oslo to Lakselv with two weekly flights. The company will also offer a year-round direct route from Oslo to Kirkenes.

Magnus Maursund, Norwegian’s Commercial Director, expressed excitement about expanding services in Northern Norway, enhancing flexibility for passengers and offering seamless connections to Europe.

Environmental considerations played a significant role in the selection process. Norwegian’s efforts to use fossil-free aviation fuel, along with their fleet renewal programme, contributed to their selection. Throughout the agreement, Norwegian will replace a significant portion of conventional fuel with fossil-free aviation fuel, potentially reducing CO2 emissions by around 10,000 tonnes over four years.

Norwegian’s Commercial Director, Magnus Maursund, expressed pride in being chosen to provide fossil-free fuel for defence sector flights, emphasising the Defence sector’s leadership in setting environmental standards.

The contract will be effective from the first quarter of 2024 and will last for four years. It covers Norwegian’s network in Norway and the Nordic region and is estimated to be worth about one billion Norwegian kroner. The contract encompasses the Ministry of Defence (FD), Defence establishments, Defence Material establishments (FMA), and the National Security Authority (NSM), all of which will benefit from this framework agreement.