The new deal builds on Gategroup’s 16-year partnership with Norwegian. Source: Norwegian Air/Steve Bates.

HNA-owned gategroup has consolidated ties with carrier Norwegian by signing a long-term global partnership agreement, effective immediately.

Gategroup’s onboard retail solutions provider Gateretail is currently responsible for handling all retail operations onboard Norwegian flights worldwide.

Meanwhile, Gate Gourmet becomes the low-cost airline’s preferred F&B vendor on its long-haul network, including an initial 19 stations.

Gategroup CEO Xavier Rossinyol.

SCANDINAVIA A ‘KEY’ MARKET

Norwegian, which served more than 33m passengers last year, has worked with gategroup for 16 years.

Gategroup CEO Xavier Rossinyol said: “We are excited to continue supporting the global expansion and commercial innovation of this quality-driven and rapidly growing airline.

“This multi-year contract further strengthens our market leading position in Scandinavia and underscores our successful business transformation in one of our key markets.”

Norwegian Head of Inflight Services, Bjørn Erik Barman-Jenssen added: “Strengthening the cooperation with the industry leading in-flight catering and retail partner allows us to pillar our existing route network in Europe, Asia and the US, and to support our growth and expansion plans into new markets such as Latin America and the Far East.

“This global partnership agreement underscores our continued commitment to the relationship with gategroup.”

Gategroup’s revenues climbed +35% to CHF4.6bn ($4.9bn) last year, compared to CHF3.4bn ($3.6bn) in 2016.

EBITDA surging surged by 50% to generate CHF300m ($318.3m) in 2017.

Watch out for the February issue of TRBusiness, available soon, for an exclusive interview with Gateretail Managing Director John Moriarty.