Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Friday
Crisis-hit SAS record losses, and are Norwegians going off cross-border shopping? This and other news from Norway on Friday.
Losses for SAS
Despite revenues rising by 40 percent, airline SAS lost 2.5 billion Swedish kronor between last November and January 2023, figures released Friday show.
"SAS delivers a quarterly result in line with what we have previously communicated. Demand continued the strong trend, and 4.5 million customers travelled with us in the quarter, bringing passenger numbers to the same level as before the pandemic. At the same time, we are on track with the SAS Forward plan and the so-called Chapter 11 process, which will ensure a competitive and attractive SAS for the future," Kjetil Håbjørg, CEO of SAS, said in an earnings call.
Are Norwegians going off cross-border shopping?
Norwegians spent 10.4 billion kroner cross-border shopping last year, a lower level than before the pandemic- despite restrictions being lifted.
Still, these figures are a four and fivefold increase from the two previous years due to the strict restrictions in place during 2020 and 2021.
"When all the travel restrictions were removed on February 12th last year, cross-border trade picked up again, but Norwegians traded less across the border than was usual before the outbreak of the pandemic. Compared to the record year 2019, the trading amount was 35 per cent lower in 2022," Kristin Aasestad from Statistics Norway said.
Vy aims to replace Flytoget as airport train provider
Vy has submitted a plan to take over all train traffic in east Norway to the Norwegian Ministry of Transport. Included in this proposal is taking over the express airport train route.
This move has angered the rail operator Flytoget, which has moved to see if the train traffic in Norway could be divided between two companies.
"It is excessively arrogant of Vy to simply shut down Flytoget, take over our routes and even take the initiative to remove one of the biggest successes on Norwegian railways," Ida Fottland, communications manager at Flytoget, said to the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten.
Despite Vy's proposal, Flytoget can offer an express airport train to and from Oslo until 2028.
First Mcdonald's location in Norway to close
After 40 years, the first Mcdonald's restaurant to open in Norway will close later this year. The location at Nedre Slottsgate in central Oslo will be closing as it cannot extend the lease of the location.
"We wanted to continue operations at Nedre Slottsgate, but respect that the farm owner has a different vision for the building going forward," Kristina Johansen, communications manager at McDonald's Norway, told Norwegian newspaper VG.
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Losses for SAS
Despite revenues rising by 40 percent, airline SAS lost 2.5 billion Swedish kronor between last November and January 2023, figures released Friday show.
"SAS delivers a quarterly result in line with what we have previously communicated. Demand continued the strong trend, and 4.5 million customers travelled with us in the quarter, bringing passenger numbers to the same level as before the pandemic. At the same time, we are on track with the SAS Forward plan and the so-called Chapter 11 process, which will ensure a competitive and attractive SAS for the future," Kjetil Håbjørg, CEO of SAS, said in an earnings call.
Are Norwegians going off cross-border shopping?
Norwegians spent 10.4 billion kroner cross-border shopping last year, a lower level than before the pandemic- despite restrictions being lifted.
Still, these figures are a four and fivefold increase from the two previous years due to the strict restrictions in place during 2020 and 2021.
"When all the travel restrictions were removed on February 12th last year, cross-border trade picked up again, but Norwegians traded less across the border than was usual before the outbreak of the pandemic. Compared to the record year 2019, the trading amount was 35 per cent lower in 2022," Kristin Aasestad from Statistics Norway said.
Vy aims to replace Flytoget as airport train provider
Vy has submitted a plan to take over all train traffic in east Norway to the Norwegian Ministry of Transport. Included in this proposal is taking over the express airport train route.
This move has angered the rail operator Flytoget, which has moved to see if the train traffic in Norway could be divided between two companies.
"It is excessively arrogant of Vy to simply shut down Flytoget, take over our routes and even take the initiative to remove one of the biggest successes on Norwegian railways," Ida Fottland, communications manager at Flytoget, said to the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten.
Despite Vy's proposal, Flytoget can offer an express airport train to and from Oslo until 2028.
First Mcdonald's location in Norway to close
After 40 years, the first Mcdonald's restaurant to open in Norway will close later this year. The location at Nedre Slottsgate in central Oslo will be closing as it cannot extend the lease of the location.
"We wanted to continue operations at Nedre Slottsgate, but respect that the farm owner has a different vision for the building going forward," Kristina Johansen, communications manager at McDonald's Norway, told Norwegian newspaper VG.
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