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* Q4 EBITDAR beats forecasts
* Confirms 2016 capacity growth outlook
* Sees lower unit costs this year
* Sees slowdown in Norway, rising Danish competition (Adds quote, detail)
OSLO, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Budget airline Norwegian AirShuttle reported fourth-quarter earnings aboveexpectations on Thursday and kept its outlook for growth incapacity this year, while costs were seen lower.
Norwegian, Europe's third-biggest budget airline bypassenger numbers after Ryanair and easyJet, haslaunched flights to the Middle East, southeast Asia and theUnited States, bringing low-cost offers into the long-haulsegment, as well as expanding in its core European market.
"We enter 2016 with favorable fuel costs and one of theyoungest fleets in Europe, which presents a significantcompetitive advantage," Chief Executive Bjoern Kjos said in astatement.
"The market in Norway is influenced by the slowdown in theeconomy and there is increased competition in the Danish market.The demand for travelling with Norwegian and advance bookingshave been satisfactory entering the first quarter of 2016," thecompany added.
Norwegian swung to an operating profit before leasing anddepreciation (EBITDAR) of 295 million Norwegian crowns ($34.52million) from a loss of 380 million a year earlier, beatingexpectations for a profit of 181 million in a Reuters poll ofanalysts.
The company confirmed its guidance that its available seatkilometres (ASK) would grow by 18 percent this year. Its unitcost (CASK) is now seen at around 0.37 crowns this year versusan previous guidance of 0.39 crowns.($1 = 8.5447 Norwegian crowns) (Reporting by Stine Jacobsen, editing by Terje Solsvik)
