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Norwegian has reported a new passenger record in July as it carried almost 3.8 million passengers in a single month.

The total number of passengers increased by 13 per cent compared to the same month previous year.

The load factor was 93 per cent.

The total traffic growth increased by 33 percent last month month, driven by a 35 per cent capacity growth.

“We are very pleased that an increasing number of passengers in Europe, USA, South America, the Middle East and Asia choose Norwegian for their travels.

“It is also satisfactory that even with a strong capacity growth our load factor is high.

“Our capacity growth is still high, but it is not increasing as rapidly as in previous months, which is in line with our strategy.

“We have been through a long period of strong growth and going forward we will reap what we have sown for the benefit of our customers, staff and shareholders,” said chief executive Bjørn Kjos of Norwegian.

Norwegian operated 99.2 per cent of the scheduled flights in July, whereof 67.9 per cent departed on time.

The on-time performance this month was heavily influenced by widespread air traffic control strikes in Europe.

On Friday, International Airlines Group said it would sell its stake in Norwegian.

IAG, which owns British Airways, bought 4.6 per cent of the low-cost carrier earlier this year as a prelude to discussing a takeover, but had two proposals rebuffed.

IAG chief executive Willie Walsh said: “We’re not going to keep the shares, we are not an investor.

“We bought that small stake to initiate a conversation and if that conversation is not going anywhere, as it’s not, we’re not going to hold on to those shares.”

Source: breakingtravelnews.com