Some 3.714 million passengers flew with Norwegian in July, down 2% year-on-year, on a load factor of 93.5%, up half a percentage point.

The budget carrier’s total passenger traffic increased 6%, while capacity growth came in at 5%.

Geir Karlsen, Norwegian’s acting chief executive and chief financial officer, said: “Following a period of significant expansion and investments, the growth is slowing down, which is in line with our strategy of moving from growth to profitability.

“The figures also show passengers travel longer distances and a higher load factor. This means that more people choose Norwegian when they are travelling, not least on intercontinental flights.”

Norwegian’s long-haul capacity grew 20% in July year-on-year and recorded a load factor of 94%.

The airline said more than half its July passengers on intercontinental flights were US citizens flying to Europe.

The carrier’s on-time performance was 68.1% in July, hit by “general summer delays in European airspace” and wet-leasing aircraft. Norwegian operated 99.2% of its scheduled flights in July.