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Norwegian machine in Stockholm (archive): airline has already received three billion crowns
Photo: Johan Nilsson / dpa
The Norwegian government does not want to support the ailing low-cost airline Norwegian with further financial aid.
In addition to the previous support, the state will not grant the group further financial aid as requested, the government announced in Oslo.
In the current situation, additional billions in aid are "not a justifiable use of taxpayers' money," said Minister of Economic Affairs Iselin Nybo.
Such support could also distort competition.
The airline described the government's decision as a "slap in the face," as airline chief Jacob Schram said.
They are "very disappointed with the lack of government support".
The company pointed out that its international competitors had also received billions in aid from the respective governments.
Without the help, the future of Norwegian is "uncertain".
Written losses for years
In France, on the other hand, billions in government aid flow to Air France-KLM, in Germany Lufthansa is kept alive by billions in government loans.
However, at the air traffic summit on Friday, politics and the industry in this country could no longer agree on quick help for the ailing airports.
The airport operators had demanded compensation for the maintenance costs during the shutdown in the spring.
In Norway, the ailing airline Norwegian has already received guarantees from the government amounting to three billion kroner (277 million euros).
The airline has been in the red for years.
Because of the corona crisis, the losses quadrupled in the first half of this year.
According to the broadcaster NRK, Norwegian no longer rules out bankruptcy.
The aviation industry is in a deep crisis both nationally and globally, in which it will in all probability remain for a long time, according to the government statement.
That is why aviation in Norway has been helped with a total of 14 billion Norwegian kroner (around 1.3 billion euros) in 2020.
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apr / AFP / dpa