Air Norway

Air Norway AS was a virtual, regional airline with its head office in the town of Brekstad,[1] the administrative centre of the municipality of Ørland, in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It operated seven round trips a week from its hub at Ørland Airport to Oslo Airport, Gardermoen, and a single, weekly round trip from Oslo to Aalborg Airport, Denmark, using a wet lease Fairchild Metro aircraft from North Flying. The airline was established in 2003. Following the bankruptcy of Coast Air in January 2008, the airline stepped in and was serving Fagernes Airport, Leirin with two daily flights to Oslo, and one daily flight to Trondheim, but these were terminated in 2009.

Air Norway
IATA ICAO Callsign
M3 NFA NORTH FLYING
Founded2003
Commenced operations23 May 2003
Ceased operations2017
HubsØrland Airport
Focus citiesOslo Airport, Gardermoen
Fleet size1
Destinations3
Parent companyNordic Air (40%)
Municipality of Ørland (40%)
North Flying (20%)
HeadquartersØrland
Key peopleSnorre Hvitsand (managing director)
Audun H Møller
(Operation Manager)
Per Kyllingstad (chair)
Websitewww.airnorway.no

Operations
Air Norway Fairchild Metro

The airline was owned 40% by Nordic Air, 40% by the Municipality of Ørland and 20% by North Flying.[2] All operations were flown by North Flying,[3] who operate a 19-seat Fairchild Metro 23 in Air Norway livery.[4] The municipality subsidised the route with NOK 1 million per year.[5] The company had a managing director in a 20% position, plus one person who coordinated booking on an hourly basis.[3] In 2008, the airline had a revenue of NOK 16 million and made NOK 800,000 in profit.[6] Ørland Airport is the civilian section of the military Ørland Main Air Station. Traditionally, the main customer group for Air Norway was military personnel.[7]

Air Norway was forced to temporarily suspend operations in 2017 due to runway repair work at Ørland Airport, its main base. Services were resumed in September 2017 before terminating again in October 2017.[8]

Destinations

The airline operated seven weekly round trips from Ørland to Oslo, with weekday flights leaving Ørland at 7:40 and returning from Oslo at 18:00. No flights were made on Saturdays, but there were two round trips to Oslo on Friday, and to Ørland on Sunday.[9] A single, weekly round trip was made to Aalborg from Oslo, leaving on Friday evening and returning Sunday afternoon.[9]

City Country IATA ICAO Airport Begin End Ref
AalborgDenmarkAALEKYTAalborg Airport20046 October 2017[10]
FagernesNorwayVDBENFGFagernes Airport, Leirin20081 April 2009[11]
OsloNorwayOSLENGMOslo Airport, Gardermoen20026 October 2017[12]
TrondheimNorwayTRDENVATrondheim Airport, Værnes20082009[13]
ØrlandNorwayOLAENOLØrland Airport20036 October 2017[12]

History
Air Norway Fairchild Metroliner at Oslo Airport, Gardermoen

Air Norway was founded in 2003 by Gunnar Hagsveen.[12] Scheduled services from Ørland to Oslo commenced on 23 May 2003.[14] The company had originally planned to also operate aircraft between Ørland and Bodø Airport, to two main air stations of the Norwegian Air Force, but these plans were abandoned.[12] Just after the route commenced, the owner became seriously ill, and marketing and sales efforts were neglected, causing a less-than-predicted cabin load. Hagsveen died on 26 December, and his heirs encouraged local businesses to purchase shares in the company.[15] Air Norway commenced weekly flights from Oslo to Aalborg Airport in Denmark from 31 January 2004.[10] In February 2004, the company received a loan for NOK 650,000 from the municipality to operate pay off other debt.[15] At the same time, the airline was sold to Sven Rosenvinge.[16]

By 2005, the airline was still losing money. On 21 February, the Municipality of Ørland bought shares for NOK 1 million, while North Flying bought the remaining half of the company. Mayor Hallgeir Grøntvedt (Center Party) stated that while it was a risky investment for a municipality with limited budget, the airline was of great strategic importance for Ørland and Fosen.[16] When the European Union introduced new security rules for airports from 1 January 2005, Ørland Airport was exempt, because of the small size of the aircraft. By April, the airport had received notice that 100% security control would still have to be introduced, costing the municipality 465,000 kr per year. At the same time, Air Norway was still losing money, and applied to the municipality to not be charged landing fees at the airport.[17] When this was granted, it saved the company NOK 540,000 per year.[7] In July, Air Norway transported its 10,000th passenger and signed a new contract with the Air Force, which was responsible for more than half the ridership.[18] In November, the administration of the airline was moved from Drammen to Ørland and Fosen Næringshage. Snorre Hvitsand was then hired as managing director.[19]

In 2006, the company experienced a 40% passenger growth,[3] and from 6 September, Air Norway also introduced services on Wednesday.[20] The same year, the municipality started a NOK 1.8 million upgrade to the airport.[21] When it opened on 3 September 2007, it became an international airport and allowed transit for passengers to Aalborg, plus increased security and a general renovation of the terminal building from 1978.[21]

Following the bankruptcy of Coast Air in January 2008, Air Norway and North Flying were awarded an interim contract to operate the route from Fagernes to Oslo, with subsidies from the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications.[11] At the same time, the airline started a route from Fagernes to Trondheim Airport, Værnes.[13] In March, they won the public service obligation (PSO) contract, granting them the route until 31 March 2009.[11] During the first half of 2008, ridership at Fagernes Airport was reduced by 27.3%, compared with the first half of the previous year.[22] From 1 April 2009, the Fagernes PSO contract was lost to DOT LT, and Air Norway terminated those routes.[23]

In 2009, Air Norway lost 1,300 passengers after the Norwegian Air Force decided to not permit their employees to travel from Ørland, but instead have to take cheaper flights from Trondheim, located about a two-hour drive away. The reduction in ridership, along with a strengthening of the Danish krone in relation to the Norwegian, caused Air Norway to lose NOK 100,000 by August 2009. The mayor of Ørland stated at that he was working to make the route receive state grants as a PSO.[24] In February 2010, the municipality granted NOK 62,500 for Air Norway to run a television commercial during the semi-final of Melodi Grand Prix.[25]

References
  1. "Contact Us Archived 2012-04-26 at the Wayback Machine." Air Norway. Retrieved on 15 December 2011. "Air Norway as post@airnorway.no Fosen Næringshage 7130 Brekstad" ("Fosen Næringshage, Meieriveien 5, 7130 Brekstad")
  2. "Air Norway AS". Proff. Archived from the original on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2010.
  3. Midtbø, Mia Kristin (17 March 2007). "Flere flyr til og fra Fosen" [Several flights to and from Fosen]. Adresseavisen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 9 March 2010. (Google translation)
  4. "Fairchild Metro 23". North Flying. Archived from the original on May 5, 2009. Retrieved 9 March 2010.
  5. Aas, Elisabeth (12 June 2009). "Millionstøtte til flyrute" [Million to Support Flight]. Norsk Rikskringkasting (NRK) (in Norwegian). Retrieved 9 March 2010. (Google translation)
  6. "Air Norway AS". Proff. Archived from the original on 22 February 2013. Retrieved 9 March 2010.
  7. Hegvik, Paul Aage (28 March 2006). "Vil styrke Fosen med solid lufthavn" [Will strengthen Fosen with solid Airport]. Fosna-Folket (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2010. (Google translation)
  8. "Air Norway". Airliner World (October 2017): 7.
  9. "Tidstabell" [Timetable] (in Norwegian). Air Norway. Archived from the original on 22 June 2010. Retrieved 9 March 2010.
  10. "Flyr fra Ørand til Danmark" [Flying from Ørand to Denmark]. Adresseavisen (in Norwegian). 8 January 2004.
  11. "Får fly fra Fagernes" [Will aircraft from Fagernes]. Oppland Arbeiderblad (in Norwegian). 14 March 2008. Retrieved 9 March 2010. (Google translation)
  12. Yttrehus, Ståle (13 March 2003). "Ny flyrute fra Ørland" [New air route from Ørland]. Norsk Rikskringkasting (NRK) (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 28 August 2005. Retrieved 9 March 2010. (Google translation)
  13. Strande, Kåre (9 February 2008). "Fagernes-Trondheim på 37 minutter" [Fagernes-Trondheim in 37 minutes]. Avisa Valdres (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2010. (Google translation)
  14. Skærbæk, Søren (6 May 2003). "Ny rute Ørlandet-Gardermoen" [New route Ørlandet-Gardermoen]. Boarding.no (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2010. (Google translation)
  15. Yttrehus, Ståle (12 February 2004). "Kommunen redder flyselskap" [Municipality rescues airlines]. Norsk Rikskringkasting (NRK) (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2010. (Google translation)
  16. Kothe-Næss, Thomas (22 February 2005). "Ørland kjøper flyselskap" [Ørland buys airline]. Adresseavisen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 9 March 2010. (Google translation)
  17. Kothe-Næss, Thomas (26 April 2005). "EU kan velte flyrute" [EU can topple flight]. Adresseavisen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 9 March 2010. (Google translation)
  18. Hegvik, Paul Aage (26 July 2005). "Ble passasjer 10.000" [Was passenger 10,000]. Fosna-Folket (in Norwegian). Retrieved 9 March 2010. (Google translation)
  19. Berg, Snorre (4 November 2005). "Ørland får flyselskap" [Ørland gets airlines]. Fosna-Folket (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2010. (Google translation)
  20. Ledang, Skjalg (28 July 2006). "Flere flyavganger fra Fosen" [More flights from Fosen]. Fosna-Folket (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2010. (Google translation)
  21. Hegvik, Paul Aage (3 August 2007). "Ny epoke for lufthavna" [New era for air harbor]. Fosna-Folket (in Norwegian). Retrieved 9 March 2010. (Google translation)
  22. "Kraftig passasjerøkning for flere småflyplasser" [Strong passenger growth for several light aircraft seats]. Hegnar Online (in Norwegian). Norwegian News Agency. 15 July 2008. Retrieved 9 March 2010. (Google translation)
  23. Hegvik, Paul Aage (11 January 2009). "Air Norway mister flyruten Fagernes - Oslo" [Air Norway loses flight Fagernes - Oslo]. Fosna-Folket (in Norwegian). Retrieved 9 March 2010. (Google translation)
  24. Hegvik, Paul Aage (18 August 2009). "Fremdeles håp for flyruta" [Still hope for flight]. Fosna-Folket (in Norwegian). Retrieved 9 March 2010. (Google translation)
  25. Hegvik, Paul Aage (4 December 2009). "Air Norway med tv-annonse i MGP" [Air Norway with a television ad in the MGP]. Fosna-Folket (in Norwegian). Retrieved 9 March 2010. (Google translation)

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