How does the Norwegian and Nordic aviation industry look post pandemic? That was the topic of a leader seminar that our CEO Henrik Koch attended in Oslo.

In January, leaders from the airlines SAS, Norwegian, Widerøe and Flyr gathered in Oslo to debate topics such as reconstellation of airlines, sustainable air fuel and future aviation trends.

Significant changes in the aviation industry
Over the past years, the Nordic airline industry has undergone significant changes – both before, during and after the pandemic. For example:

• Norwegian Air Shuttle went into a so-called chapter 11 reconstruction and changed their strategy to focus only on short haul (European) destinations.
• Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) is currently undergoing a chapter 11 reconstruction – while maintaining the operation and opening new routes, including long haul.
• The new airline Flyr has been launched, led by the former Norwegian Air Shuttle management team.
• Ryanair and EasyJet have partly paused their activities in the Nordic market, but are gradually returning in other forms and setups.

Redefined strategies and focus on SAF
At the seminar in Oslo, the airlines debated the future of aviation and gave an update on their current strategic focus areas. Here are some of the key points:

• Norwegian is downscaling their winter program compared to previous season. They are currently updating their airbase with new Boeing 737 MAX aircrafts which are 14% more fuel efficient. Like the other airlines, they are also very focused on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and working on lobbying the Norwegian government to take a leading position in the development of more sustainable air fuels.
• SAS is currently undergoing a chapter 11 reconstruction but have chosen to keep the same winter volume as usual – partly because they have their long haul routes. In the future, SAS will develop more direct routes, also to Nordic cities outside the capitals. This focus is especially important to attract the MICE segment.
• Flyr is working to raise new funding. Last year they had an occupancy rate of 74% (target is 90%). They have a big focus on the Mediterranean destinations.
• Widerøe is mainly a Norwegian domestic airline. They are currently focusing a lot on sustainability and have started to integrate jets in their airbase, while they historically have flown propeller aircrafts.
• All airlines report that sales for the beginning of 2023 look great!

The right insights are crucial to create impact
All in all, the conclusion was: The airlines have a bright outlook to the future and are keen to develop new projects, products and destinations!

– At Related, we are constantly seeking insights from leading companies and professionals in the Nordic travel industry, to make sure we stay updated on trends and tendencies in the market. This includes attending seminars, workshops, unformal meetings, dinners, webinars, etc. We believe that having the right insights is crucial for making the right choices and reaching the right people – to create significant impact for our clients, says Henrik Koch, CEO, Related.

Don’t hesitate to reach out if you’re curious to hear more about travel industry trends and the 2023 forecasts for Norway and the other Nordic countries.