Today Norwegian’s CEO Bjørn Kjos was awarded the 2018 Ambassador’s Award by Kenneth J. Braithwaite, the United States Ambassador to Norway, for significantly contributing to building U.S.-Norway relations and growing the countries’ economies.
“I congratulate Bjørn Kjos on receiving the 2018 U.S. Ambassador’s Award for his work to strengthen people-to-people and economic ties between the United States and Norway, one trans-Atlantic passenger and one American-made airplane at a time,” said Ambassador Braithwaite.
Ambassador Braithwaite also credited Bjørn Kjos and Norwegian for being an important investor in the United States, buying U.S. products and services, promoting job creation and increasing prosperity.
“It is an honour to receive this award. I am grateful that the work we have done in the U.S. so far is appreciated and acknowledged. No other foreign airline is more committed to the United States than Norwegian, and this is still just the beginning,” said Bjørn Kjos.
Job creation and boosting economies
“The hundreds of thousands of tourists and other visitors that Norwegian has carried between the U.S. and Europe, has led to thousands of jobs being created and has boosted local economies on both sides of the Atlantic. We will do our best to continue contributing towards more job creation and strengthening the ties between our countries,” Bjørn Kjos continues.
Norwegian began flying to the U.S. in 2013 and support from the U.S. has been vital for Norwegian in its mission to offer more affordable fares to the American people and the possibility to travel internationally. Today, Norwegian offers more than 60 nonstop routes from the U.S. to Europe; more transatlantic routes than any other European airline.
Norwegian has a strong relationship and commitment to the world’s leading aircraft manufacturer, Boeing. Back in 2012, the airline signed the largest ever aircraft order in European history with Boeing. Norwegian still has more than 100 U.S.-made Boeing aircraft on order.
Today, Norwegian has around 800 dedicated colleagues based across several locations in the U.S. – a number will continue to grow quickly. Norwegian is the only foreign airline hiring U.S.-based pilots, bringing many American pilots back home. Norwegian also employs more cabin crew locally than any other foreign airline. Earlier this year, Norwegian opened its fifth U.S. base, at Los Angeles, proving Norwegian’s commitment to the U.S. Norwegian also has bases in New York, Fort Lauderdale, Providence and Stewart.