London : Budget carrier Norwegian Air Shuttle has reached an agreement with Boeing to buy 50 737 MAX 8 aircraft. The planes are due to be delivered between 2025 and 2028, at a schedule closely corresponding to current aircraft lease expirations. The company said it intends to finance the outstanding balance of pre-delivery payments through positive cash flow from operating activities, and that āa significant share of the aircraftā will be owned by Norwegian, āensuring an optimized and balanced aircraft financing structure.ā Board chairman Svein Harald Oygard called it āa landmark deal.ā This will result in lower all-in costs and increased financial robustness, enabling us to further solidify our Nordic stronghold, Oygard said in a statement.
The deal also allows us to serve our customers with state-of-the-art aircraft that can run increasingly on sustainable aviation fuel. Norwegian CEO Geir Karlsen said the deal will also strengthen the company’s equity considerably, further solidifying Norwegian’s financial position. Subsequent to the conclusion of these agreements, Norwegian is estimated to record a net gain of around 2 billion kroner ($211 million). Norwegian operates a short-haul network across the Nordics and to key European destinations.