Originally Posted by
Andy
NEDude, you still haven't named any companies interested in buying Norwegian. You mentioned Level, but I've already posted a link showing that IAG (Level's parent company) has zero interest in pursuing Norwegian anymore.
Q3's results will be released on the 25th of August (tomorrow). I'll be watching to see how they're doing on bond covenants.
As for releasing the pilots from training bonds, this may have been necessary as part of their restructuring. Or it may have to do with Norwegian having 140 aircraft for sale.
You previously mentioned that at least two companies were interested in buying Norwegian - can you name any? (Please list Ryanair; Michael O'Leary strongly denied any interest in Norwegian minutes after Norwegian's CEO said Ryanair was interested in buying Norwegian).
I do not subscribe to the Financial Times, so I cannot read the article you posted. However a Google search shows two FT articles articles dated August 3, 2018, one with the headline "British Airways Owner IAG Looks to Sell Norwegian Shares", and the other with the headline "IAG to Offload Norwegian Air Stake After Bid Fails". Google shows no other articles from FT more recent than those which deal with the IAG/Norwegian relationship.
Apparently you failed to read the article which I posted. But it is dated October 9, 2018, so it is two weeks old as of today. Here is another link to it:
https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk...ag-206680.html. In addition to that article, here is another article dated a month after the FT articles which also re-affirms IAG's interest in Norwegian, stating that IAG "is likely to pursue the acquisition of Norwegian Air Shuttle":
https://www.irishtimes.com/business/...icks-1.3616632. Here is another article, dated the day after the FT articles, which states that IAG will give Norwegian "one year to agree to a takeover deal":
https://www.independent.ie/business/...-37183348.html.
So yes, I am including IAG as one of the airlines interested. I have three articles dated after your article which states IAG is still interested. If you have an article dated after October 9, 2018, please cite it.
Lufthansa has also been reported as being interested in purchasing Norwegian, and there has been no public retraction of that interest.
Regarding aircraft for sale, it is known that 65 of the airplanes are the A320neos which the company ordered a few years ago and is not operating. It is also beginning to sell its older 737-800s as it takes delivery of its 737 Max 8s and some remaining new 737-800s. Even with the selling of aircraft, the plan still shows 164 aircraft operating by the end of 2018, 186 by the end of 2019, and 212 by the end of 2020. So the selling of aircraft does not represent a shrinking of the airline, just a slowing of the growth.