Air Greenland A/S (formerly named Grønlandsfly and Greenlandair) is the flag carrier airline of Greenland, owned by the government of Greenland. It operates a fleet of 28 aircraft, including a single Airbus A330-800 airliner used for transatlantic flights, 9 fixed-wing aircraft primarily serving 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 provides charter services for remote research stations, tourists, mineral-resource industries and operates medivac and search and rescue (SAR) flights during emergencies. Air Greenland has several subsidiaries, including in hotels, tour operators, and a travel agency specialised in Greenlandic tourism.
History Establishment and early years
The airline was established on 7 November 1960 as Grønlandsfly A/S,Air Greenland. "Vores Historie " ["Our History"]. Retrieved 2 May 2012. by the Scandinavian Airlines System (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 the Royal Greenland Trade Department (now KNI).Air Greenland. "50 År: Grønlandsfly 1960–69 ". Retrieved 16 May 2010.
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 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.
1970s
During the 1970s, Grønlandsfly upgraded its DC-4 to the newer DC-6,Air Greenland. "50 Års: Grønlandsfly 1970–79 ". Retrieved 10 August 2010. but principally focused on expanding its helicopter fleet, purchasing five more S-61s. By 1972, it opened up service to east Greenland with 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 the population of Greenland.
1980s
The establishment of the Greenland Home Rule Government led to investment in a regional network of STOLports (short take-off and landing) in Nuuk in 1979 and Ilulissat in 1984.Air Greenland. "50 Års: Grønlandsfly 1980–89 ". Retrieved 17 May 2010. Kulusuk was also repurposed from its prior military use. These early airports were built without de-icing equipment, a situation that has proven problematic during Greenland's winters and continues to cause delays and losses for 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, 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, 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.
1990s
The company saw its activity curtailed as the mines at Ivittuut (1987) and Maamorilik (1990) closed operation, leading to a recession in the Greenlandic economy.
The newly Greenlandic Government began expanding the network of STOLports in the period 1998-2007. These were very expensive to construct and Greenland's airport fees are still among the highest in the world."Klar til konkurrence" ["Ready for Competition"]. Travel People. 1 January 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2012. STOLports were constructed in Sisimiut, Maniitsoq and Aasiaat in mid-western Greenland. Qaarsut and Upernavik were also built in northwestern Greenland.Air Greenland. "50 Års: Grønlandsfly 1990–99 ". Retrieved 16 May 2010. 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.
Grønlandsfly also purchased its first jet aircraft, a Boeing 757-200 that 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 a layover in Iceland. Thus, in 1999, the airline served 282,000 passengers, nearly triple the number at the end of the previous decade.
2000s
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.
At this time, CEO Peter Fich resigned, who had proven unable to balance Greenland Home Rule's demands for local Greenlander service with the board's for expanded tourism, lower fares and higher profits."New Greenlandair President". Travel People. 1 May 2000. Retrieved 5 May 2012. 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."Greenlandair Climbing to New Levels". Travel People. 6 March 2001. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
In response, the company successfully pushed back against Greenland Home Rule's large demands, high fees and low subsidies and rebranded itself, changing its name to Air Greenland and adopting a new logo and livery on 18 April 2002 (previously known as Greenlandair).Air Greenland. "50 Års: Air Greenland 2000–09 ". Retrieved 16 May 2010.
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 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, 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 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 the United States, using a leased Boeing 757 from ATA Airlines. After sixty American visitors were stranded by a strike of Air Greenland employees and the company refused to make alternate arrangements for their return,Rubin, Michael. "Stranded in Greenland". National Review. 29 August 2007. Retrieved 14 July 2018. ticket sales slumped and the route was closed in March 2008. In 2009, the airline carried 399,000 passengers. In 2024, the company had 745 employees, more than 1% of the Greenlandic population.
Since 2010 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 was suspended. However, some expansion continued. 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, 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. In July 2015, Air Greenland became a member of the European Regions Airline Association.
Prior to 2016, Air Greenland held a 50% stake in the Arctic Umiaq Line, an unprofitable but government-subsidised ferry service, with the other 50% controlled by Royal Arctic Line. In 2016 Air Greenland sold its stake in the company to Royal Arctic Line, and since July 1, 2016 the Arctic Umiaq Line has operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Arctic Line.
Similar to most airlines, Air Greenland experienced a decline in weekly flights during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the decline was less than most airlines due to Greenland's remoteness and vast distance between the communities.
Fleet changes Air Greenland sold its Boeing 757-200 in 2010, leaving it with a single Airbus A330 for its transatlantic fleet, which consolidated transatlantic service to Kangerlussuaq, leaving Narsarsuaq with reduced service. Air Greenland's last remaining Twin Otter aircraft was sold in 2011 to Norlandair in exchange for cash and a one-fourth interest in the Icelandic company.