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59-525: Air Greenland helicopters approach Ukkusissat Heliport on the way from Uummannaq Heliport alongside the southern and western wall of Appat, to then pass above the narrow Appat Ikerat strait between Appat and a smaller, mountainous Salleq Island . Appat Island is separated from Uummannaq Island and Salliaruseq Island in the south by the central arm of the Uummannaq Fjord; from the Salleq Island in

118-687: A travel agency specialised in Greenlandic tourism. Air Greenland's domestic airport network includes 12 civilian airports within Greenland. Outside Greenland, the airline currently operates year-round transatlantic flights to Keflavík International Airport in Iceland and Copenhagen Airport in Denmark. It also offers seasonal service to Billund and Aalborg in Denmark, as well as Iqaluit in Canada. Nuuk Airport

177-507: A 2-3-2 configuration. Air Greenland offers flexible and restricted economy class on all flights operated with fixed-wing aircraft, with complimentary snacks and drinks. On transatlantic flights to Copenhagen, both economy class and premium class seats are available, with in-flight meals served in all classes. Air Greenland publishes a quarterly Suluk ( Kalaallisut : "Wing") in-flight magazine, with general information about current political and cultural events in Greenland and with news from

236-574: A given day. Settlement flights in the Disko Bay region are unique in that they are operated only during winter and spring. During summer and autumn, transport between settlements is only by sea, with services operated by Diskoline , a government-contracted ferry service based in Ilulissat. As of October 2024, the Air Greenland fleet includes the following active aircraft: The airline's flagship aircraft

295-545: A helicopter based in Tasiilaq , and established Greenlandair Charter. Mining at Maamorilik in the Uummannaq Fjord required still more helicopters, and the airline purchased Bell 206s for the route. Grønlandsfly also picked up a Danish government contract to fly reconnaissance missions regarding the sea ice around Greenland. By the end of 1979, the number of Grønlandsfly passengers served annually exceeded 60,000, more than

354-409: A late 2011 Air Greenland meeting, plans to move the main Greenland intercontinental air hub away from Kangerlussuaq were agreed upon. According to the 2011 plan, three 1,199-metre (3,934 ft) airstrips will be built: a new airport at Qaqortoq , as well as extensions at Nuuk and Ilulissat . New airports will probably also be built at Tasiilaq and Ittoqqortoormiit later. Alongside Kangerlussuaq,

413-462: A layover in Iceland. Thus, in 1999, the airline served 282,000 passengers, nearly triple the number at the end of the previous decade. Around the turn of the millennium, the airline renewed its aging fleet, retiring several of its S-61 and 206 helicopters and replacing them with Bell 212s and Eurocopter AS350s . The company also sacked its CEO Peter Fich, who had proven unable to balance Greenland Home Rule's demands for local Greenlander service with

472-566: A member of the European Regions Airline Association . In 2015, Air Greenland phased out operation of its last Dash 7 aircraft, completing the transition of its domestic fixed-wing fleet to Dash 8-200 aircraft. Kangerlussuaq Airport Kangerlussuaq Airport ( Greenlandic : Mittarfik Kangerlussuaq , Danish : Kangerlussuaq Lufthavn , formerly Søndre Strømfjord Lufthavn in Danish) ( IATA : SFJ , ICAO : BGSF )

531-402: A network of short takeoff and landing airfields. These were very expensive to construct and Greenland's airport fees are still among the highest in the world; they also required a new fleet: DHC-7 turboprops uniquely suited to the harsh terrain and weather conditions in Greenland. The reliability of connections improved as the domestic airport network expanded in the 1990s: increasing use of

590-402: A network of 45 heliports : 8 of which are primary heliports which have tarmac landing areas, passenger terminals and permanent staff. The other heliports are helistops with either a gravel or grass landing area. Often helicopters need multiple flights for each connection to a fixed-wing flight because of passenger capacity, causing longer total travel time. The primary heliports usually connect to

649-455: A new logo and livery on 18 April 2002. In 2003, Finn Øelund left to head Maersk Air and was replaced as CEO by Flemming Knudson. Air Greenland opened a route from Copenhagen to Akureyri in Iceland; the service lasted for six years before finally being deemed unprofitable and ended. Also in 2003, SAS abandoned its Greenland service, leading Air Greenland to purchase its second airliner, an Airbus A330 -200 named Norsaq . (SAS briefly revived

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708-757: A number of flights from the US and Canada landed in connection with the 2016 Arctic Winter Games in Nuuk and a flight to Canada in connection with the 2023 Arctic Winter Games . Access to several research camps on the Greenland ice sheet , including the Danish field camp North GRIP and the American Summit Camp , have been handled through Kangerlussuaq via the 109th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard . At

767-412: A route to Keflavík allowed the company to break SAS's monopoly on flights between Greenland and Denmark via a Keflavík-Copenhagen leg operated by Icelandair . By 1989, the airline employed more than 400 Greenlanders and carried more than 100,000 passengers annually. The company saw its activity curtailed as the mines at Ivittuut (1987) and Maamorilik (1990) closed operation, leading to a recession in

826-466: A subsidiary of Danish carrier Air Alpha . Air Alpha Greenland had operated helicopter flights in Disko Bay and in eastern Greenland. Since the takeover, the acquired Bell 222 helicopters have been used for passenger transfers between Nerlerit Inaat Airport and Ittoqqortoormiit Heliport . In 2007, Flemming Knudson was moved to head the Royal Greenland fishing concern and current CEO Michael Binzer

885-569: A total of nine members, including three members representing airline employees. The current chairman is Mr Kjeld Zacho Jørgensen (appointed 2018) and the deputy-chairman is Ms Bodil Marie Damgaard (appointed 2016). The CEO of Air Greenland is Jakob Nitter Sørensen appointed in January 2017. Headquartered in Nuuk, the airline had 668 employees in December 2009. The airline's technical base is located at Nuuk Airport . The charter unit within Air Greenland

944-551: Is Nerlerit Inaat Airport : Norlandair provides fixed-wing services to Iceland while Air Greenland provides local helicopter transport to larger towns including Ittoqqortoormiit . The agreement makes it again possible to combine a trip, in one ticket. Air Greenland has interline agreements with the following airlines: A more comprehensive codeshare agreement with Icelandair will be introduced from summer 2025. Air Greenland operates helicopter flights to most settlements in Greenland ("settlement flights" ) on contract with

1003-520: Is Air Greenland's domestic and international hub following a major reconstruction and runway expansion completed in 2024. Two other airports capable of serving large airliners – Kangerlussuaq Airport and Narsarsuaq Airport – were constructed as U.S. Air Force military bases during WW2 and continue to be used for transatlantic flights. All other regional airports are only STOL -capable and are served with smaller De Havilland Canada Dash 8-200 fixed-wing aircraft. Smaller communities are served via

1062-571: Is an airport in Kangerlussuaq , a settlement in the Qeqqata municipality in central-western Greenland . Alongside Nuuk Airport and Narsarsuaq Airport , it is one of only three civilian airports in Greenland large enough to handle large aircraft. Kangerlussuaq Airport was previously the international hub for Air Greenland . Most traffic transitioned to Nuuk Airport in November 2024, coinciding with

1121-620: Is bisected by the Naqellorssuaq valley. The highest point on the island is Appat Qaqaa (1,685.9 m (5,531.2 ft)), a summit in the western part of the glaciated summit plateau. The coastline is undeveloped, apart from the Umiasuqasuup Ilua fjord at the southeastern end. Qaqortuatsiaq, located on the northern coast of Appat near the shore of the Torsukattak Strait, is a former marble quarry, now abandoned. Mining activities in

1180-615: Is led by Hans Peter Hansen and employs 8 people, with 13 helicopters and 3 fixed-wing aircraft at its disposal. Excess capacity of airplanes is used for regular charters to tourist destinations in Europe, Asia, and Africa. The helicopters, primarily the AS350, are used for special flights, such as search and rescue, air ambulance, charter flights to the Thule Air Base on contract with the U.S. Air Force , geological exploration, and supply flights to

1239-476: Is offered by Air Greenland on transatlantic flights aboard Tuukkaq , its Airbus A330-800. The service includes a larger seats, hot meal, a personal video screen, an in-seat power source, an amenity kit and blankets. Passengers travelling in premium class are eligible to use the Novia Business Class Lounge at Copenhagen Airport. There are 42 Premium class seats on their Airbus A330-800, arranged in

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1298-508: Is served by Qaarsut Airport in conjunction with its heliport.) Grønlandsfly also purchased its first jet aircraft, a Boeing 757-200 which began operation in May 1998. The airliner was named Kunuunnguaq in honour of the Greenlandic explorer and ethnologist Knud Rasmussen , whose bust decorates in the terminal of Kangerlussuaq hub. The airliner allowed the company to run the profitable Kangerlussuaq– Copenhagen route directly, without affiliates or

1357-532: Is the primary helicopter used for flights to district villages. The Air Greenland helicopter fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of October 2024 ): The older Sikorsky S-61N helicopters were stationed in Ilulissat Airport and Qaqortoq Heliport. With a capacity to seat 25 passengers, the S-61 based in southern Greenland was used to shuttle passengers arriving from Copenhagen at Narsarsuaq Airport. The sale of

1416-436: Is their sole Airbus A330-800 , delivered new in 2022. The De Havilland Canada DHC-8-200 is the airline's primary aircraft, operating on all domestic airport-to-airport routes. In 2010, the airline acquired its first Dash 8 aircraft. Air Greenland also leases capacity from charter airline Jettime for seasonal routes. The Air Greenland fixed-wing fleet consists of the following aircraft as of October 2024: The Airbus H155

1475-665: The Maarmorilik mines were due to reopen in November 2010 with zinc and iron ore reserves projected to last 50 years. As in the 1970s, the mine's supply flights to the mine would have been operated by Air Greenland, using Bell helicopters ( 212s ) based out of the Uummannaq Heliport . Air Greenland sold its Boeing 757-200 in 2010, leaving it with a single Airbus A330 for its transatlantic fleet which reduced service to Narsarsuaq Airport . Air Greenland's last remaining Twin Otter

1534-712: The Royal Greenland Trade Department (now KNI ). The first flights serving the American bases in Greenland operated lightweight DHC-3 Otters and Sikorsky S-55 helicopters chartered from Canada. After a crash in 1961, Grønlandsfly used PBY Catalina water planes and DHC-6 Twin Otters on domestic routes. One of the Catalinas then crashed in 1962. In 1965, the Douglas DC-4 became the line's first larger airplane. It

1593-603: The SAS Group and 25% of the company shares from the Danish Government , becoming the sole owner of the airline. The total price of the 62.5% share was DKK 462 mill. The government ownership is held by the Ministry of Housing, Infrastructure, and Transport, that oversees the development of the transport industry in Greenland and controls Mittarfeqarfiit , the airport authority in Greenland. The Air Greenland board of directors has

1652-399: The permafrost is melting underneath it. A decision was made in 2016 to extend the runways of both Nuuk and Ilulissat airports to 2,200 m (7,218 ft), allowing them to receive medium size jetliners from Denmark, and also to replace Narsarsuaq with a new airport at Qaqortoq. Construction at Nuuk Airport started late 2019. Due to the runway stability problems at Kangerlussuaq, it

1711-403: The Air Greenland international hub, most air freight including mail, goods and fresh food passed through Kangerlussuaq Airport. Because of the lack of a good port at Kangerlussuaq, most material was transported by air to other destinations. Goods that did not need such quick transport were often freighted by air to Nuuk and then by ship to other places in Greenland. A road to Sisimiut at the coast

1770-582: The Boeing 757 in April 2010 contributed to the long-term decline of the airport, with the airline planning to remove the old helicopter from the fleet. The airline's Airbus A330-200 was scrapped in 2023, after delivery of its new A330-800. In the past, Air Greenland (Grønlandsfly) also used the following aircraft: On 29 May 2019 the Greenlandic Government acquired 37.5% of the shares in Air Greenland from

1829-461: The Dash 7s made the airline less restricted by inclement weather. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Air Greenland acquired a Boeing 757 and an Airbus A330 , allowing it to open connections to Copenhagen , until then operated by SAS which also competed mid to late 2000s. In the 21st century, it competes with Icelandair for international connections and small charter services domestically. The airline

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1888-457: The Greenlandic economy. As the situation improved, the network of regional STOL airports was extended with Sisimiut Airport , Maniitsoq Airport and Aasiaat Airport built in mid-western Greenland and Qaarsut Airport and Upernavik Airport built in northwestern Greenland. With the purchase of a fifth Dash 7, Grønlandsfly was – for the first time since its inception – able to provide plane services to all major towns in Greenland. ( Uummannaq

1947-688: The United States. After sixty American visitors were stranded by a strike of Air Greenland employees and the company refused to make alternate arrangements for their return, ticket sales slumped and the route was closed in March 2008. In 2009, the airline carried 399,000 passengers. In the 2010s, Air Greenland curtailed some services. On 1 January 2010, Air Greenland suspended its participation in SAS's EuroBonus frequent-flyer program due to technical difficulties. In 2011, nonstop service from Narsarsuaq to Copenhagen

2006-401: The air base for refueling. In 1956, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) was flying " Polar route " service with three round trip flights per week being operated with Douglas DC-6B propliners on a routing of Copenhagen - Sondre Stromfjord (now Kangerlussuaq) - Winnipeg - Los Angeles . This use enabled air travel to Greenland, but fell off in the 1960s as airliners gained greater range. Instead,

2065-579: The airline's first international route was also opened, running between Greenland's capital Nuuk and Iqaluit Airport in northern Canada. The route connected Greenland's Kalaallit with Canada's Inuit and was operated in conjunction with the Canadian First Air line, but the planes were generally run empty and the route was shuttered 13 years later in 1994. Also in 1981, Grønlandsfly opened its first route to Iceland , linking Reykjavík Airport to its main hub at Kangerlussuaq via Kulusuk . In 1986,

2124-568: The airline. ) The decade also saw the company train and hire its first native Kalaallit pilots. To service the enlarged network, Grønlandsfly began acquiring DHC-7s , planes particularly suited to the often severe weather conditions in Greenland. The first was delivered on 29 September 1979, followed by more over the next decade. These planes served every airport except Nerlerit Inaat near Ittoqqortoormiit , until 2010. Service to Nerlerit Inaat has been handled by Icelandair and Norlandair under contract with Greenland Home Rule. In 1981,

2183-454: The airline. On board their Airbus A330-800, economy class is configured in a 2-4-2 configuration. Founded in 1960 as Grønlandsfly (translates to Greenland aviation ), the airline started its first services with Catalina seaplanes and within the decade expanded to include DHC-3 Otters as well as Sikorsky S-61 helicopters. The majority of operations were based on helicopters until the newly established Greenland Home Rule began investing in

2242-452: The airport. This marked the end of Kangerlussuaq Airport being the hub for Air Greenland's international network, which transitioned to Nuuk Airport following its expansion. Kangerlussuaq Airport will remain a domestic airport and will be served by seasonal flights to Copenhagen as a stopover using leased aircraft. Routes from Kangerlussuaq to Aasiaat , Maniitsoq , Ilulissat and Narsarsuaq were discontinued from November 2024 after

2301-462: The airports at Narsarsuaq and Kulusuk (if Tasiilaq is built) will also be closed. Generally, a number of the airstrips have been built by the US military at locations deliberately away from major settlements, partly due to the Danish policy to downplay the presence of the US military in Greenland. There was also a concern for the need to renovate the Kangerlussuaq runway for a fairly high cost, as

2360-508: The area are likely to resume in the future, providing an economic lifeline to the communities of the Uummannaq region, keeping the relatively new Qaarsut Airport open. The island can be reached via individually chartered fishing boats from Saattut, the settlement on a skerry off the southeastern cape, or from Ukkusissat to the northwest. Package tourists visit the 'desert' on the cape as part of an organized tour from Uummannaq. Movement within

2419-557: The base became the hub of Greenland air traffic. The airport was handed over to civilian Greenlandic control in 1992. Air Greenland introduced seasonal flights to Baltimore in May 2007. The following March, it decided to end the route. In the past there have been tourist charter flights between Germany and Kangerlussuaq in summer, in connection with cruise ship arrivals to the Kangerlussuaq seaport. Those flights have typically been operated by Air Greenland or airlines from Germany. Other charter flights have also been operated, for example

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2478-633: The board's for expanded tourism, lower fares and higher profits. Under his replacement Finn Øelund, Grønlandsfly initially posted a DKK 30 million loss as contractual obligations maintained unprofitable service while a strike ruined the summer tourist season and Post Greenland moved a lucrative mail contract to the Danish-owned Air Alpha Greenland . In response, the company successfully pushed back against Greenland Home Rule's large demands, high fees and low subsidies and rebranded itself, anglicising its name to Air Greenland and adopting

2537-677: The domestic network, and 18 helicopters feeding passengers from the smaller communities into the domestic airport network. Flights to heliports in the remote settlements are operated on contract with the government of Greenland. Its domestic and international hub is at Nuuk Airport . Besides running scheduled services and government-contracted flights to most villages in the country, the airline also supports remote research stations , provides charter services for tourists and Greenland's energy and mineral-resource industries and permits medivac during emergencies. Air Greenland has seven subsidiaries, an airline , hotels , tour operators , and

2596-416: The government of Greenland, with the destination network subsidized and coordinated by the Ministry of Housing, Infrastructure and Transport. Settlement flights are not featured in the company's timetable, although they can be pre-booked. Departure times for these flights as specified during booking are by definition approximate, with the settlement service optimised on the fly depending on local demand for

2655-472: The interior of Appat is restricted to mountaineering . Air Greenland Air Greenland A/S (formerly named Grønlandsfly), also known as Greenlandair , is the flag carrier of Greenland , owned by the Greenlandic Government . It operates a fleet of 28 aircraft, including a single A330-800 airliner used for transatlantic and charter flights, 9 fixed-wing aircraft primarily serving

2714-499: The long journey time to Greenland and back to home is unsuitable for many passengers. They need a reliable airport with few delays because cruise ships have firm planned schedules with booked ports and land activities. For this reason, in 2018 plans were approved to build a better port near Kangerlussuaq together with a 15 km (9.3 mi) road to the airport. As of 2018, the small port cannot take cruise ships nor large freight ships, so transfer boats are needed. During its status as

2773-496: The mining sites and the research stations on the Greenland ice sheet . During the peak summer season, the helicopter crew is supplemented by freelance pilots from Norway and Sweden. Other charter flights include heliskiing shuttles, services for the energy industry such as facilitating oil exploration or surveying for hydroelectric stations and environmental research counting polar bears and tracking other large Arctic fauna. A business class – named " Premium -Class" –

2832-420: The opening of its new lengthened runway and terminal. The first airport was built here during the US occupation in 1941 under the name of Bluie West-8 , later renamed Sondrestromfjord Air Base and Sondrestrom Air Base . The airport is located away from the coast and hence less prone to fog and wind in comparison with other airports in Greenland. In the mid 1950s, transatlantic civilian flights began using

2891-509: The population of Greenland. The establishment of the Greenland Home Rule Government in 1979 led to investment in a regional network of true airports, with short take-off and landing (STOL) airfields constructed in Nuuk, Ilulissat (1984), and Kulusuk . (These early airports were built without de-icing equipment, a situation which has proven problematic during Greenland's winters and continues to cause delays and losses for

2950-493: The service during the peak season in 2007 before dropping it again in January 2009. ) Owing to SAS's withdrawal from the market, Air Greenland received its contract with the U.S. Air Force for passenger service to and from Thule Air Base . Running from February 2004, the contract was renewed for another five-year period in 2008 despite SAS's brief return to the market. The first takeover of another airline took place on 28 July 2006, when Air Greenland acquired Air Alpha Greenland ,

3009-577: The west by the Appat Ikerat strait; from the Ukkusissat Peninsula in the north and northeast by the Torsukattak Strait . A small archipelago of low-lying skerries lies directly to the southeast of the island, with a small settlement of Saattut . It is very mountainous, with precipitous walls falling from the glaciated summit plateau in all directions. The plateau (and the island itself)

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3068-399: The wider domestic fixed-wing services. Primary heliports inclue Upernavik Airport/Heliport , serving northwest Greenland; Uummannaq served by Qaarsut Airport ; Narsaq , Qaqortoq , Nanortalik which are connected by the larger Narsarsuaq Airport ; and Tasiilaq which is served by Kulusuk Airport . The only civilian airport which Air Greenland does not serve with fixed-wing aircraft

3127-545: Was established on 7 November 1960 as Grønlandsfly A/S, by the Scandinavian Airlines System (now SAS) and Kryolitselskabet Øresund , a Danish mining company involved with the cryolite operations at Ivittuut to provide transport and logistics for four American radar bases in Greenland . In 1962, interests in the firm were acquired by the Provincial Council (now the Greenland Home Rule Government ) and

3186-434: Was followed by Sikorsky S-61 helicopters, which have remained in use: in 2010, they still served the communities of Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland year-round and those of Disko Bay during the winter. During the 1970s, Grønlandsfly upgraded its DC-4 to the newer DC-6 , but principally focused on expanding its helicopter fleet, purchasing five more S-61s. By 1972, it opened up service to east Greenland with

3245-539: Was hired with a mandate to lead the company towards greater commercialisation and self-sufficiency under the Qarsoq 2012 ("Arrow 2012") plan. On 13 June, SAS announced its intention to sell its stake in Air Greenland, a move later incorporated into its restructuring programme, but as of 2012 it has not found any buyers. On 1 October, the airline introduced its e-ticket system. Also in 2007, Air Greenland began direct service with Baltimore/Washington International Airport in

3304-492: Was initially thought that this would eventually lead to the closure or restricted use of its runway. However, in 2024 it was clarified that Kangerlussuaq Airport would remain open and there will continue to be unrestricted access for larger civilian aircraft. Even though most international traffic will move to Nuuk and Ilulissat, Kangerlussuaq will remain important, partly due to its more stable weather and longer runway. Cruise ships want to exchange passengers at Greenland because

3363-428: Was planned with this freight in mind. Amenities which were previously present at the airport were a nightclub and a self-service bar open in the daytime. Several tourism outfitters shared an office in the terminal. There are also other more simple accommodations in Kangerlussuaq. On the 27 November 2024, the last regular scheduled Air Greenland service to Copenhagen using their flagship Airbus A330-800 , departed

3422-487: Was sold in 2011 to Norlandair in exchange for cash and a one-fourth interest in the Icelandic company. Reopening the connection to Iqaluit, now the capital of Nunavut , was launched by Air Greenland in 2012. From 2012 to 2013, the airline saw a shy increase of 4 passengers flying to Nunavut over the previous year. However, this service ceased in 2015 due to lack of commercial viability. In July 2015, Air Greenland became

3481-557: Was suspended. However, some expansion is planned. In order to compete with Icelandair , which operates service from Reykjavik Airport to Nuuk, Narsarsuaq, Ilulissat and the east coast of Greenland and now controls about 15% the market in Greenland-bound travel, Air Greenland opened a nonstop route between Nuuk and Keflavík International Airport in Iceland in 2010. Also, owing to improved technology and higher commodity prices ,

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