Traveling to Greenland and experiencing Arctic diversity has become increasingly popular, especially after the closure of the eastern reaches of the European Arctic. In addition to the numerous ship passages offered, the air route with Air Greenland from Copenhagen or Reykjavik is the most frequent connection to the world’s largest island for international travelers. And like many airlines, Air Greenland has adapted its services for the new year and the new challenges.
A new and more modern aircraft, new ticket prices on low-cost tickets, fees on seat reservations on the cheapest tickets and on spirits, and a new food concept on board international and domestic flights are the innovations the Greenlandic airline is coming up with in the new year. This is reported by both the airline and the Greenlandic newspaper Sermitisaq. The aim is to make flights from Copenhagen and Billund to Greenland more attractive and pleasant for passengers. In addition, the opening of the new landing runway of the new airport in Nuuk, which is still under construction, is also on the list as an innovation.
At the top of the airline’s innovations is certainly its new aircraft and flagship of the fleet “Tuukkaq”, a brand new Airbus A330neo-800, which was received in a formal ceremony in Greenland at the beginning of December. The new, more powerful and fuel-efficient aircraft will serve the international routes between Copenhagen and Kangerlussuaq, and later Nuuk, and replaces the A330-200 currently in use. According to Air Greenland, 305 passengers (42 premium and 263 economy) on board will experience more comfort thanks to the latest features such as more space in seats and baggage storage, modern entertainment and lighting systems and quieter aircraft cabins. In addition, a new and improved food concept with a new partner will enhance the flight experience. New menus with better quality are expected to accompany the new aircraft this year, improving Air Greenland’s overall image. This also applies to the shorter routes to Iceland and on domestic flights, Air Greenland announced.
Air Greenland has also made some adjustments to its pricing policy. The cheapest offer, “Fly ‘n’ Sleep,” which consists of a one-way economy class flight from Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq as a stop-over before continuing on to Ilulissat, Nuuk or Sisimiut, has been reduced to 215 euros (1,595 Danish kroner) at best value. But in the future, passengers will have to pay fees for selecting seats up to 24 hours before departure. Passengers also have to dig into their pockets if they want to drink spirits on board, but beer and wine are free of charge along with water. For this, according to Sermitsiaq, the range of beverages was expanded to include non-alcoholic beer free of charge. Passengers will also be able to enjoy WiFi on board “Tuukkaq”. This service is scheduled to go live later this year. When exactly, however, has not yet been determined.
In addition to a new aircraft starting in March this year, Air Greenland will also offer another flight connection from Greenland. The destination will be the Danish town of Billund, made famous by Lego, which will be served from Kangerlussuaq. In doing so, the airline aims to meet the demand for Western Denmark as a destination for Greenlandic passengers. The route will be served by Jettime with a Boeing 737-800, according to Air Greenland. This will add another international destination to be served from Kangerlussuaq. This is expected to continue until 2024, after which it will be moved to Nuuk. In addition, Air Greenland was able to announce that the longer landing runway in Nuuk, which is necessary for larger aircraft such as “Tuukkaq”, has been completed and in operation since the beginning of November.
So the stage is set for successful landings this year, after the airline had some problems last year, both technical and personnel,
Dr Michael Wenger, PolarJournal
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