The low-cost carrier saw its pre-tax earnings rise from £43.5 million to £87 million.

The airline carried 7.7 million passengers this quarter, an increase of 9% with long-haul numbers rising by 15%.

Norwegian chief executive Bjørn Kjos said: “The third quarter results show that Norwegian’s long-haul operations and international routes are becoming significantly more important.

"This is where we see most of the future growth potential, enabling the company to compete in a global market with strong competition.”

In the quarter Norwegian marked the anniversary of its long-haul flights from the UK to the US. The airline also experienced its busiest ever summer in the UK with more than 1 million passengers flying between June and September.

“UK activity has played a crucial role in a strong third quarter for Norwegian, with Gatwick seeing our biggest overall growth in passenger numbers,” Kjos said.

"With new aircraft and new routes planned, expansion in the UK will continue to be at the forefront of our long-term plans."

Meanwhile, Norwegian has also placed an order for an additional 19 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, which will more than quadruple its current long-haul fleet to 38 aircraft within the next five years.