Norwegian chief executive Geir Karlsen is continuing to see improvements in the quality of service the Scandinavian carrier is receiving from Boeing as it adds more 737 Max 8s to its fleet.
“Boeing is really delivering aircraft these days,” he said during a third-quarter earnings briefing on 22 October.
The low-cost carrier has taken delivery of 12 737 Max 8s this year, Karlsen explains, leaving one outstanding airframe, which it expects to receive “during the very next days”.
“It’s really nice to see that the production line in Boeing is working well these days, and this is what we expect also for the months and the years to come,” he adds.
Karlsen was speaking two days after the US Federal Aviation Adminstration approved Boeing to increase monthly 737 Max production to 42 units from 38 amid efforts to return its production system to stability.
While all of Norwegian’s Max jets are leased, it will soon start taking delivery of the 80 it has ordered directly from Boeing – a number that grew by 30 during the third quarter after it exercised options to take more of the CFM International Leap-1B-powered type through deliveries that will continue out to 2031.
The airline’s ambition, Karlsen says, is to own 50% of its fleet, and it recently began that process by taking ownership of three 737-800s that it was previously leasing.
Where finance is still being used for incoming jets, Karlsen says the terms being offered “are the best Norwegian has seen before”.
Norwegian ended the third quarter with 33 Max 8s in its fleet, alongside 62 737-800s. It expects to operate 95 or 96 aircraft in summer 2026, and notes that while Max deliveries are driving moderate growth every year, they are mainly for fleet replacement.
Norwegian recorded an improved operating profit of NKr3.07 billion ($306 million) during the third quarter, on revenue of NKr12.3 billion. Its net profit improved to NKr2.55 billion as Karlsen spoke of positive trends at Norwegian and regional unit Wideroe, including falling unit costs thanks partly to its “Program X” transformation effort.
