Norwegian Air's July traffic down 90% year on year

Norwegian Air’s July passenger volume fell by 90.4% from a year earlier as most of its fleet remained grounded due to the coronavirus pandemic, it said on Thursday. The budget carrier flew just 356,093 passengers during the month compared to 3.71m in July 2019. “Although customer demand has increased compared to the almost non-existent levels in April, May and June, the market situation remains challenging,” Norwegian said. Norwegian used only 20 of its aircraft in July, up from eight in June, but more than 100 jetliners are still parked amid a sharp fall in global travel. The company, which revolutionised transatlantic travel by offering cheap fares, won backing in May from owners and creditors for a conversion of debt to equity and aims to rebuild operations, albeit on a smaller scale. “Norwegian will continue to evaluate demand, travel advice and infection control measures while adjusting its network accordingly,” it said.<br/>