OSLO, Jan 14 (Reuters) – Norwegian Air plans to close its long-haul operation and focus instead on a scaled-down European business as it seeks to contend with the coronavirus crisis and complete its debt restructuring, the budget carrier said on Thursday.

Norwegian launched its long-haul division in 2012, with the first flight conducted in May 2013, from Oslo and Stockholm to Bangkok and New York-JFK (NY). Currently, Norwegian’s long-haul operations are organised through its subsidiaries Norwegian Long Haul, Norwegian Sweden and Norwegian UK.

Together the three entities have a fleet of 35 B787s; eight B787-8s and 27 B787-9s. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, all of the Dreamliners are parked at various airports and it is said that the six parked at Shannon have been repossessed by their lessors. The closure of the long-haul operations will have a big effect on Norwegian’s workforce, which will lead to lay-offs of up to 1,700 co-workers.

Photo Rob Vogelaar