Air Greenland

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Air Greenland
IATA
GL		 ICAO
GRL		 Callsign
Greenland
Founded 1960
Hubs Kangerlussuaq Airport
Focus cities Nuuk Airport
Narsarsuaq Airport
Frequent flyer program EuroBonus, on flights to CPH only
Fleet size 24
Destinations 18
Headquarters Nuuk, Greenland
Key people Peter Grønvold Samuelsen (CEO)
Website: http://www.airgreenland.gl
Air Greenland Boeing 757-200 at Kangerlussuaq Airport.
Air Greenland Boeing 757-200 at Kangerlussuaq Airport.
Air Greenland Airbus A330 at Kangerlussuaq Airport.
Air Greenland Airbus A330 at Kangerlussuaq Airport.

Air Greenland Inc. is the regional airline of Greenland, based in Nuuk. It operates largely domestic services, with services to Copenhagen. It offers concessional air services to all communities in Greenland and operates charter, taxi and special flights, such as air ambulance and search and rescue. Its main base is Nuuk Airport[1].

Contents

[edit] History

The airline was established and started operations in November 1960 as Greenlandair. It was founded by Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) and mining company Kryolitselskabet and in 1962 the Greenland provincial government and the government of Denmark became co-owners. In 1998, Greenlandair began operating its first jet aircraft, a Boeing 757-200. In 2002, Greenlandair changed its name to Air Greenland. It is owned by the Greenland government (37.5%), SAS Group (37.5%) and the Danish government (25%) and has 569 employees (at March 2007)[1].

The intercontinental service to Copenhagen carried nearly 95,000 passengers in 2003. In 2003, Air Greenland won the U.S. Air Force contract for flights to Thule Air Base (previously held by SAS). Flights to Thule Air Base started in February 2004.[citation needed]

SAS Group announced in a press release June 13, 2007, that it will sell its shares in Air Greenland. [1]

In late August 2007, Air Greenland staff went on strike, stranding passengers, including United States conservative Michael Rubin of the National Review, in Greenland.[2]

[edit] Destinations

As of May 2008, Air Greenland operates scheduled passenger flights to the following destinations:[3]

[edit] International airports

[edit] Domestic airports

Bell 212 preparing to land at the old heliport in Upernavik
Bell 212 preparing to land at the old heliport in Upernavik

[edit] Domestic heliports

[edit] Fleet

The Air Greenland fleet includes the following aircraft (at April 2007) [4]:

Air Greenland Fleet
Aircraft Total Passengers Routes Notes
Airbus A330-200 1 245 Kangerlussuaq to Copenhagen
Boeing 757-200 1 200 Narsarsuaq to Copenhagen
De Havilland Canada Dash 7 3 50 Aasiaat, Kangerlussuaq, Kulusuk, Maniitsoq, Narsarsuaq, Nuuk, Qaanaaq, Qaarsut, Sisimiut, Ilulissat and Upernavik
De Havilland Canada Dash 7C 3 50 Aasiaat, Kangerlussuaq, Kulusuk, Maniitsoq, Narsarsuaq, Nuuk, Qaanaaq, Qaarsut, Sisimiut, Ilulissat and Upernavik
Beechcraft B200 King Air 1 7
DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 300 2 18
Sikorsky S-61 Helicopter 3 25 Aasiaat, Ilulissat, Kangilinnguit, Narsaq, Narsarsuaq, Nanortalik, Nuuk, Paamiut, Qaqortoq, Qasigiannguit and Qeqertarsuaq
Eurocopter AS350 B2 Helicopter 2 5
Eurocopter AS350 B3 Helicopter 4 5
Bell 212 Helicopter 4 9 Alluitsup Paa, Kulusuk, Nanortalik, Narsarsuaq, Qaarsut, Qaqortoq, Tasiilaq and Uummannaq
Bell 222U Helicopter 4 8 Alluitsup Paa, Kulusuk, Nanortalik, Narsarsuaq, Qaarsut, Qaqortoq, Tasiilaq and Uummannaq

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Flight International 27 March 2007
  2. ^ Michael Rubin, "Stranded in Greenland", National Review, August 29, 2007
  3. ^ Air Greenland: Departures & Arrivals
  4. ^ Air Greenland website - Fleet