Norwegian Air Shuttle to acquire Widerøe

Norwegian Air Shuttle (Oslo Gardermoen) is to acquire Widerøe (WF, Bodø) in a NOK1.125 billion Norwegian krone (USD105 million) transaction that will see the two airlines continue to operate as stand-alone entities.

In a July 6 stock market filing, Norwegian said the acquisition would enhance both airlines. "The transaction is expected to be highly accretive through linking non-overlapping complementary route networks, enabling significant operational synergies and added diversification through Widerøe’s public service operation routes," the filing read.

According to ch-aviation fleets advanced data, Widerøe operates 48 aircraft, including twenty DHC-8-100s, three DHC-8-Q100s, three DHC-8-Q200s, four DHC-8-Q300s, fifteen DHC-8-Q400s, and three E190-E2s. The airline flies a variety of public service obligation, regional, and international routes to 55 airports in 10 countries. Widerøe commands a 20% market share within Norway and reported revenues of NOK5.7 billion (USD532 million) in 2022.

Norwegian (Norwegian Air Shuttle AOC and Norwegian Air Sweden AOC) has a larger fleet size - 81 aircraft, including sixty-eight B737-800s and thirteen B737-8s, spread across a larger network, and flies to 102 airports in 35 countries. Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian, says Widerøe's network of mostly small and regional airports around Norway complements Norwegian's focus on mainline domestic and international routes. He says the acquisition will offer tangible benefits to both airlines, including;

Improving Norwegian's reach into regional Norway, including bringing Norwegian's low-cost model to that market;

Improving Norwegian's share of the domestic business market and reducing seasonal impacts;

Offering Widerøe operational scale benefits and robust industrial and financial backing;

Offering Widerøe's approximately 3,500 employees improved career opportunities;

Improved capacity to invest in sustainability across both airlines;

Strategic and operational benefits from complementary route networks; and

Cost synergies and efficiencies for both airlines.

Karlsen said Widerøe will operate as a separate business unit and remain independent from Norwegian's low-cost model. All current employees will remain with their respective airlines under current employment contracts.

He adds that Norwegian will finance the acquisition through available funds, saying that the final price is subject to certain adjustments after closing, including Widerøe's profits this year. Subject to regulatory approvals, Norwegian hopes to close the sale by the end of calendar 2023.

Wideroe to debut electric aircraft in 2026

Widerøe (WF, Bodø) is set to become the world's first commercial operator of a wholly electrically-powered commuter aircraft as it aims to take delivery of its first TECNAM P-Volt by 2026.

The Norwegian regional specialist said it had signed an agreement with Italian aircraft manufacturer Costruzioni Aeronautiche TECNAM and Rolls-Royce to jointly work on the commercial deployment of the aircraft. TECNAM will be tasked with designing the turboprop, largely based on its most recent Tecnam P2012 model, while Rolls-Royce will supply the electric engine. Widerøe will then manage the operational readiness and certification aspects.

The companies did not disclose the total number of aircraft Widerøe was planning to add.

The P-Volt will seat up to 11 passengers and will thus become Widerøe's smallest aircraft type. The Norwegian carrier currently operates twenty Dash 8-100s, three DHC-8-Q100s, three DHC-8-Q200s, one Dash 8-300, five DHC-8-Q300s, ten DHC-8-Q400s, and three E190-E2s.

Chief Strategy Officer Andreas Kollbye Aks told Norwegian online newspaper E24 that the task ahead was far more complicated than the recent introduction of Widerøe's first jet aircraft, the Embraer E2s.

"We are highly excited to be offered the role as launch operator but also humble about the challenges of putting the world’s first zero-emissions aircraft into service," Aks said.

The airline underlined that its network was particularly well-suited to the deployment of electric aircraft. Widerøe operates an extensive network of regional flights between second- and third-tier cities in Norway, with 75% of its routes being shorter than 275 kilometres. Its shortest scheduled flights last less than 15 minutes, well within the realistic range of an all-electric aircraft. While many of these routes are also extremely thin and do not need large capacity, they are often the vital link for local communities and require relatively high-frequency flights.

"Developing all-electric aircraft will enable people to be connected in a sustainable way and will fulfil Widerøe’s ambition to make its first all-electric flight by 2026. The all-electric P-Volt aircraft is ideal for the short take-off and landing as well as for routes in the North and the West Coast of Norway," the companies said in a statement.

Norway, which already leads the world in terms of road transport electrification with more than half of all new cars sold in the country in 2020 being electric, is hoping to phase-out all non-electric aircraft on domestic routes by 2040.

TECNAM has been working with Rolls-Royce since 2018 on hybrid propulsion for its smaller, four-seat P2010 aircraft.

ch-aviation

Wideroe to serve Munich, London, Hamburg

Wideroe has announced it will launch its first services into major airports outside Scandinavia, connecting Bergen to Munich and Hamburg Helmut Schmidt, as well as Kristiansand to London Stansted.

Flights to Munich and Hamburg will also become the first Wideroe services to continental Europe beyond Denmark.

The Norwegian regional specialist will operate each of the routes 3x weekly, starting in summer 2018. Flights to Munich and Hamburg out of Bergen will be operated with the new EMB-190 E2s. Wideroe is the launch customer for the type and will launch the aircraft on commercial services in April 2018. Two out of the three EMB-190 E2s, which will be delivered in 2018, will be based in Bergen, while the third one will be positioned at Oslo Torp.

The carrier has also announced it will launch two new Scandinavian services out of Bergen: to Billund (3x weekly) and Gothenburg Landvetter (2x weekly).


The 4x weekly route from Kristiansand to London Stansted will be the first Wideroe service to the British capital. Currently, the airline operates to Aberdeen Dyce from Bergen and Stavanger.

ch aviation

Embraer Announces Delivery of the First E190-E2 in April of 2018

Athens, Greece, October 18, 2017 – Embraer confirmed today April of 2018 as the delivery date of the first E190-E2 to Widerøe, the aircraft’s launch operator. The announcement was made at a press briefing in Athens, Greece, during the annual general meeting of the European Regional Airline Association (ERA – www.eraa.org). Widerøe, the largest regional airline in Scandinavia, will begin revenue service with the aircraft shortly afterwards.

“Since the program was launched, the first half of 2018 has been our target, and now we are making good on this commitment. This was only possible thanks to the excellence of our engineering process due to our unique experience in certifying 12 new aircraft in the last 17 years,” said John Slattery, President & CEO, Embraer Commercial Aviation. “From the beginning the E2 program has been, and remains on time, on budget and better than the initial specification. We’ll deliver to the market a mature and robust aircraft.”

Widerøe signed a contract with Embraer for up to 15 E2 jets consisting of three firm orders for the E190-E2, the first member of the second generation of the E-Jets family, and purchase rights for 12 further E2s. The order has a potential list price value of up to USD 873 million, with all orders being exercised. The airline is configuring the E190-E2s in a comfortable single-class layout with 114 seats.

Stein Nilsen, Chief Executive Officer of Widerøe, said, “We have been working very closely with Embraer teams in order to guarantee a very smooth Entry Into Service. We are eager for the coming months, when will intensify the familiarization with the aircraft, with immersion training for the technical teams, ground handling, flight operations and cabin attendants.”


Embraer is the world’s leading manufacturer of commercial jets with up to 150 seats. The Company has 100 customers from all over the world operating the ERJ and the E-Jet families of aircraft. For the E-Jets program alone, Embraer has logged more than 1,800 orders and almost 1,400 deliveries, redefining the traditional concept of regional aircraft by operating across a range of business applications.

Embraer to deliver first E190-E2 in April 2018

Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer has confirmed it will deliver its first E190-E2 to Norwegian regional airline Widerøe, the type’s launch customer, in April 2018.

The aircraft, which will be configured with 114 seats, will enter commercial service with Widerøe soon after the delivery.

Widerøe has three E190-E2s on firm order and purchase rights for 12, valued at $873 million if the deal is fully exercised.

The first delivery date was confirmed by Embraer Commercial Aviation president & CEO John Slattery during a press briefing at the European Regional Airline Association (ERA) general assembly in Athens Oct. 18.

“Since the program was launched, the first half of 2018 has been our target, and now we are making good on this commitment,” Slattery said.

He added the E2 program is “on time, on budget and better than the initial specification.” Embraer did, however, postpone the E175-E2 service entry to 2021 because of scope-clause uncertainty.

Widerøe CEO Stein Nilsen said the airline has been working closely with Embraer to ensure a smooth entry into service. Over the coming months the familiarization will intensify, with immersion training for technical teams, ground handling, flight operations and cabin attendants.

Bodø-headquartered Widerøe is the largest regional airline in Scandinavia, carrying 3 million passengers annually, generating a NOK4.4 billion ($555 million) turnover. The airline serves 46 domestic and international destinations, of which 40% are public services obligation routes and the remaining 60% are commercial.

Victoria Moores victoria.moores@penton.com

ATW

Wideroe inks deal with Embraer for 3+12 E-Jet E2s

Wideroe (WF, Bodø) has signed a firm order agreement with Embraer  for up to fifteen E2 Family jets. The Brazilian manufacturer said in a statement the contract consists of three firm ordered EMB190-E2s with purchase rights for twelve further E2 family aircraft including the EMB175-E2, EMB190-E2, and EMB195-E2 variants.
The firm-ordered aircraft, which are scheduled to deliver in 2018, will be configured in a single-class layout with 114 seats.

WIDEROE - DHC-8-Q400, LN-WDF

Ton Jochems - TRF