Does anyone have insight as to why United Airlines does not fly to Copenhagen? As far as I know they do not have a joint venture/anti-trust immunity with SAS. Are they ok with SAS making the money on these routes? It seems that flying to a Star Alliance partner's hub would make sense. SAS flies to many of United's hubs and there is a lot of connectivity. Is the cost of doing business in Scandinavia so outrageous that they they can't make a profit?

IFlyOff wrote:

Does anyone have insight as to why United Airlines does not fly to Copenhagen?

United did fly to CPH and OSL, in addition to ARN, where only a seasonal flight remains. If anything, it at least suggest United believes the profit is bigger using the capacity elsewhere

I believe that on Nordics-USA routes the point of sale is quite heavily on the Nordics side, meaning that passengers are more likely to choose their local airlines for crossing the pond (SK, AY). A good example of this was the HEL-ORD route, which was first served by AA, but then switched over to AY after a few years. (And the fact that AA ran B763s without PTVs on the route did not do any favors for the public perception towards US airlines.) This falls into a JV these days though, but there's still no way that two flights could co-exist on the route.

Prior to COVID Norwegian was also flying these routes, and the demand is not that big compared to some Southern or Middle European areas. Also, there's very little connections that UA could offer through CPH that they already can't do through LH.

Finally, if you're talking about right now, with the current travel restrictions still in place, even the small operation flying transatlantic now is way more than the demand.

But who knows, if some day when travel gets liberated again, we could potentially see a surge up in demand between Europe & US presenting some more opportunities.

I believe that the A321XLR that United has on order could work into Scandinavia. Before COVID there was a lot of American tourists in Scandinavia.

IFlyOff wrote:

Does anyone have insight as to why United Airlines does not fly to Copenhagen? As far as I know they do not have a joint venture/anti-trust immunity with SAS. Are they ok with SAS making the money on these routes? It seems that flying to a Star Alliance partner's hub would make sense. SAS flies to many of United's hubs and there is a lot of connectivity. Is the cost of doing business in Scandinavia so outrageous that they they can't make a profit?

The main reason is their JV with the Lufthansa Group. They prefer to have passengers connecting through FRA, MUC, VIE and ZRH rather than CPH (or ARN) on this side of the pond. I have no doubt that there would be room for UA at CPH at least seasonal, once the world returns to normal Before Covid, the CPH-USA/North America traffic expanded quite rapidly. SAS expanded with new routes and more capacity, DL expanded their season for the CPH-JFK route aswell as operating larger aircraft. AC started operating their 450-seater 77Ws on YYZ-CPH for most of the year and TS planned YUL-CPH. All UA really need to do is wanting to operate to CPH.

From what I remember, SAS and United never cooperated that well on the route, with SAS never being to eager to feed the UA flights at the Scandinavian end, other than basic interline

There was even a period that SAS prefered to send passenger with AA from EWR, than UA, for the destinations served by both. Although the BA/AA JV eventually stopped this

Delta over the past few days have operated 767s daily to KEF from each of JFK, BOS and MSP, replacing the normal 757. I believe this is the first time a foreign airline operates scheduled widebody services to Iceland (Juneyao loaded 789s on PVG-HEL-KEF into the system but it never happened because of Covid).

In other news, UA just started ORD-KEF, along with their EWR route, and things are also rebounding quickly on the European side with Icelandair increasing their services by almost 1000% in the last 2 months. One can also sense that LH, BA, W6, U2, VY and BT are all increasing their offering steadily, and this can actually be heard from Reykjavik by the sudden influx of incoming arrivals to KEF throughout the last few days. This weekend saw the first day at KEF with over 10.000 travellers since early March 2020. Things are certainly looking up again after a long, long downturn.

Someone83 wrote:

From what I remember, SAS and United never cooperated that well on the route, with SAS never being to eager to feed the UA flights at the Scandinavian end, other than basic interline

There was even a period that SAS prefered to send passenger with AA from EWR, than UA, for the destinations served by both. Although the BA/AA JV eventually stopped this

It still happens. If it's not a route with a codeshare with UA from EWR, IAD and ORD, you'll more than likely end up on AA or AS, even if UA actually operate on the route. On routes with a connection to both UA and AA/AS, the flights with AA/AS are often a lot cheaper than the ones with the UA too.

Transavia is launching a 3x weekly ORY-ARN service from Oct 21.

https://www.aviation24.be/airlines/air- ... -to-paris/

Finnair will base up to 3 A350's at ARN during winter. Operate ARN-BKK, ARN-HKT, and ARN-MIA

And SK increasing on US, reintroducing long haul from ARN

SAS’ US routes and departures this autumn:

Copenhagen-New York – 7 weekly
Copenhagen-Chicago – 7 weekly
Copenhagen-Los Angeles – 4-5 weekly
Copenhagen-San Francisco – 4 weekly
Copenhagen-Washington DC – 4 weekly
Copenhagen-Boston – 3 weekly
Copenhagen-Miami – 3 weekly
Oslo-New York – 3 weekly
Oslo-Miami – 1 weekly
Stockholm-New York – 3-5 weekly
Stockholm-Chicago – 3 weekly
Stockholm-Miami – 3 weekly

ARN-MIA-ARN shows A350 with SK in October

Next two aircraft to Flyr is former Norwegian ones

EI-FHW/LN-DYS c/n39007
EI-FHX/LN-DYI c/n40866

Copenhagen Airport - June 2021:

Play started KEF-ALC today.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/snorri-b ... 51553-pVv2

Ryanair is launching a 2x weekly (Wed & Sun) AAR-AGP service from Oct 31.

https://check-in.dk/ryanair-med-ny-rute-fra-aarhus/

Finnair used to operate with Spanish Cabin Crews their routes to BCN and MAD where the planes stayed overnight before covid.

I heard from a colleague of mine those CC "bases" weren't returning anymore after more than 15 months being the crews furloughed.

Is Finnair resuming these two routes under their own workforce?

Air Serbia is increasing BEG-OSL from 3x to 4x weekly

And after some weeks break, Virgin is returning to EVE with their «Preighter» service and the new routing will be nonstop EVE-JFK, 1x weekly

Someone83 wrote:

Air Serbia is increasing BEG-OSL from 3x to 4x weekly

And after some weeks break, Virgin is returning to EVE with their «Preighter» service and the new routing will be nonstop EVE-JFK, 1x weekly

DY also resumed OSL-BEG and W6 is supposed to bring back TRF-BEG from the 25th. JU carries a lot of transfers on these flights especially to Tirana and Greece.

El Al and Arkia will both fly TLV-KEF 5 times each this summer

https://www.isavia.is/en/corporate/news ... his-summer

a350lover wrote:

Finnair used to operate with Spanish Cabin Crews their routes to BCN and MAD where the planes stayed overnight before covid.

I heard from a colleague of mine those CC "bases" weren't returning anymore after more than 15 months being the crews furloughed.

Is Finnair resuming these two routes under their own workforce?

There are negotiations to operate those routes completely with Iberia ac and crew.

Efhkspotter wrote:

a350lover wrote:

Finnair used to operate with Spanish Cabin Crews their routes to BCN and MAD where the planes stayed overnight before covid.

I heard from a colleague of mine those CC "bases" weren't returning anymore after more than 15 months being the crews furloughed.

Is Finnair resuming these two routes under their own workforce?

There are negotiations to operate those routes completely with Iberia ac and crew.

And why do they need that? Wouldn’t just it be simpler to operate the route with HEL crews?

Iberia did operate wet (initially) and dry leases (AY cabin crew) for Finnair on the MAD-HEL routes. Something similar was planned for 2020 also from BCN.

That was the MAD-HEL agreement, operated by IB (IB cabin crew initially)
https://news.cision.com/finnair/r/adecc ... r,c2758580

And this one was the agreement for the BCN-HEL route, were one rotation was supposedly operated by IB (AY cabin crew).
https://www.finnair.com/en/flight-infor ... ts-2151392

a350lover wrote:

And why do they need that? Wouldn’t just it be simpler to operate the route with HEL crews?

The "issue" is that flight times are horrendous for HEL based planes. That's why pre-COVID they asked IB to operate those flights (morning dep MAD/BCN), afternoon dep HEL) - but with AY cabin crew. With AY, the plane would remain for 12 h in MAD/BCN - technically requiring 1 whole plane to operate 1 rotation to MAD and 1 plane to operate 1 rotation to BCN. Of course, they could have chosen early dep from HEL and morning dep from MAD/BCN, but that schedule wouldn't be optimised for AY long haul connections.

tobsw wrote:

a350lover wrote:

And why do they need that? Wouldn’t just it be simpler to operate the route with HEL crews?

The "issue" is that flight times are horrendous for HEL based planes. That's why pre-COVID they asked IB to operate those flights (morning dep MAD/BCN), afternoon dep HEL) - but with AY cabin crew. With AY, the plane would remain for 12 h in MAD/BCN - technically requiring 1 whole plane to operate 1 rotation to MAD and 1 plane to operate 1 rotation to BCN. Of course, they could have chosen early dep from HEL and morning dep from MAD/BCN, but that schedule wouldn't be optimised for AY long haul connections.

I suspected the issue was connected to that. Operated with IB metal and IB crews, times won't be as bad. From MAD IB can "easily" send an A320 with similar times to the flights to ARN or OS daily to HEL at 10 something, and back in MAD around 8.30pm That's what the Finnair plane used to do when "based in Spain".

From BCN I don't see IB being the best operator since they don't really have a base there, just some crews voluntarily rostered to/from BCN daily for Madrid flights. I don't see IB dedicating a single plane to the HEL leg unless Finnair desperately needs someone to fly the route and pay lots for it.

Well, pre COVID-19, as per the document linked above, IB were about to operate for AY to/from BCN (and from MAD). Only that morning ES departure and afternoon HEL departure. The other 2 BCN rotations were AY operated (I don´t think there were more MAD flights).

From 26 July, Iceland will require all arrivals (even if fully vaccinated more than 2 weeks ago) to present proof of a negative Covid test taken in the last 72 hours, in order to enter the country
I imagine this might decrease traffic at Keflavik a bit

Nordic main airports traffic development i June measured against 2019 levels:

Airport - Relative passenger numbers vs June '19 - Change from May - total number of pax
1. KEF - 21,1% +13,4pp - 165.838
2. OSL - 19,6% +5,8pp - 539.486
3. ARN - 18,6% +6,7pp - 463.027
4. CPH - 17,4% +7,7pp - 512.945
5. HEL - 9,8% +3,4pp - 200.611

Ryanair will stop flying from Skavsta (NYO/ESKN) in November. However Ryanair might return in April next year.

https://www.svt.se/nyheter/lokalt/sorml ... sta-i-host

Oykie wrote:

Anyone flying with the new Norwegian airline today Flyr? I hope there will be some pictures of their inaugural flight.

Finally got to create a trip report here at Airliners.net

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1463089

Someone83 wrote:

Oykie wrote:

Anyone flying with the new Norwegian airline today Flyr? I hope there will be some pictures of their inaugural flight.

Finally got to create a trip report here at Airliners.net

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1463089

Thank you! I enjoyed reading it I might even consider trying them out after your trip report

Does anyone have any thoughts as to whether Icelandair will operate the route between Reykjavik domestic and Vestmannaeyjar beyond the end of September 2021 ? I'm aware that it was operated by Eagle Air who decided to drop the route in September 2021 followed by Isavia laying off the Vestmannaeyjar employees, only for Icelandair to step in. Circumstantial evidence suggests loads in 2021 probably haven't been great, but I can't prove this, and I'm aware the ferry to the mainland is considerably cheaper for residents. I note that Icelandair haven't put tickets on sale beyond 30-Sep-2021, so it's presumably not deemed a critical route for winter.

Is RKV-VEY likely to return in summer 2022 as an essential route worthy of public subsidy, or is summer 2021 likely its last season ?

LN-RRJ has left the SAS fleet

From Skyliner:

Boeing 737 -883 34547 2956 LN-RRJ SAS ferried 26jul21 OSL-WOE prior delivery to?

Norwegian is keeping OSL-BEG as two weekly in winter. Guess they don't want to hand over the market to JU and W6.

SAS celebrate their 75th birthday today. https://twitter.com/SAS/status/1421766116033060868

It appears that Flyr's 4th aircraft is delayed thus part of the planned route increase from August 16th has been scaled back and delayed by one month. But based on their updated program from August 16 it still appears that they 3rd aircraft will arrive on time

Bluebird Nordic is planning to acquire 25 737-800BCFs by 2021. First one arriving this Autumn

https://newsroom.aviator.aero/bluebird- ... s-by-2024/

If I should speculate: May they have landed a deal with Amazon?

LN-TUK left the SAS fleet yesterday. 14 -700s left, og which 2 stored. LN-TUK was one of the aircraft originally delivered to Braathens

Boeing 737 -705 29096 794 LN-TUK SAS ferried 03aug21 OSL-BGR on return to lessor

Wizzair is starting both Billund (BLL) and Sandefjord (TRF) from Tirana, both with 2x weekly from mid-December

Someone83 wrote:

Wizzair is starting both Billund (BLL) and Sandefjord (TRF) from Tirana, both with 2x weekly from mid-December

And from MAD too.

lesfalls wrote:

Someone83 wrote:

Wizzair is starting both Billund (BLL) and Sandefjord (TRF) from Tirana, both with 2x weekly from mid-December

And from MAD too.

Anyone know from where the MAD rotation to the Nordics will be made? Will the plane come from Poland or one of the nearby bases?

Blerg wrote:

lesfalls wrote:

Someone83 wrote:

Wizzair is starting both Billund (BLL) and Sandefjord (TRF) from Tirana, both with 2x weekly from mid-December

And from MAD too.

Anyone know from where the MAD rotation to the Nordics will be made? Will the plane come from Poland or one of the nearby bases?

I think there is a misunderstanding here? Don't think they are starting Scandinavian routes from MAD? Just MAD-TIA?

Someone83 wrote:

Blerg wrote:

lesfalls wrote:

And from MAD too.

Anyone know from where the MAD rotation to the Nordics will be made? Will the plane come from Poland or one of the nearby bases?

I think there is a misunderstanding here? Don't think they are starting Scandinavian routes from MAD? Just MAD-TIA?

Ah... ok, my bad. Thanks.

Someone83 wrote:

Wizzair is starting both Billund (BLL) and Sandefjord (TRF) from Tirana, both with 2x weekly from mid-December

And today routes to Sandefjord and Billund was announced from Sarajevo. Also 2x weekly from Mid-December

As Flyr’s next aircraft is delayed, they have leased in AirSeven to operate some flights for them the coming week, as OSL-TRD and OSL-BGO starts on Monday

Copenhagen Airport - July 2021:

Someone83 wrote:

As Flyr’s next aircraft is delayed, they have leased in AirSeven to operate some flights for them the coming week, as OSL-TRD and OSL-BGO starts on Monday

Looks like AirSeven will mainly be used on certain flight OSL-EVE and OSL-TOS

Nordic traffic number for July

Airport - Reletive to Julky 2019 - Pax in July - Percentage point change from June
1. KEF: 41,2% - 347.529 - +20,2pp
2. CPH: 39,7% - 1.233.788 - +22.3pp
3. OSL: 36,0% - 1.022.819 - +16,4pp
4. ARN: 35,4% - 881.614 - +16,8pp
5. HEL: 16,8% - 352.041 - +7,0pp

SK are planning to send a third aircraft to ISB tomorrow (19AUG). Planned departure at 05:00 local from CPH. SK9239