*By Carlo Versano* The summer of 2018 has been good to Norwegian Air. The low-cost, long-haul airline saw a 13 percent year-over-year increase in passengers in July, flying 37 million people on popular transatlantic and European routes using its fleet of brand-new Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The airline is actively trying to differentiate itself from other value options with its hardware, CEO Bjørn Kjos said Wednesday in an interview on Cheddar. "You can only fly on low fares with modern airplanes like the Dreamliner," he said. Because the Dreamliners are more efficient and aerodynamic, they use less fuel, which means the company is less dependent on the price of crude oil than competitors with aging fleets. Modern aircrafts are the best hedge against fuel prices, Kjos said. Norwegian has greatly expanded its offerings in the U.S., adding regional airports like Tampa to big hubs in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Kjos said the airline is also growing globally. It most recently [debuted](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-04/emerging-markets-maintain-losses-after-argentina-turkey-moves) an $18 in-country fare for Argentina, appealing to tourists interested in exploiting a weak currency. Norwegian's expansion into a crowded low-fare marketplace has drawn both the ire and admiration of rivals. The chief of Ryanair reportedly called the airline ["a dog"](https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/norwegian-air-new-flights-tampa-ryanair-michael-oleary-british-airways-iag-a8415546.html), while the head of British Airways' parent company said he admired Kjos's ["bravery"] (https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/norwegian-air-new-flights-tampa-ryanair-michael-oleary-british-airways-iag-a8415546.html). For Norwegian, the focus is on keeping costs down and appealing to millennial travelers, Kjos said. Younger passengers are more willing to fly on a no-frills flight, so long as they're on a modern aircraft, and prices remain cheap. While Norwegian's ethos is "affordable fares for everybody," according to Kjos, millennials are his most important customers. "We really have to take care of them," he said. For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/norwegian-air-marks-record-passenger-numbers).
