Air Greenland : Air Greenland is the regional airline of Greenland, based in Nuuk. It operates largely domestic services, with international services to Copenhagen and Baltimore . It offers concessional air services to all communities in Greenland and operates charter, taxi and special flights, such as air ambulance and search and rescue. Its main base is Nuuk Airport.
History
The airline was established and started operations in November 1960 as Greenlandair. It was founded by Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) and mining company Kryolitselskabet and in 1962 the Greenland provincial government and the government of Denmark became co-owners. In 1998, Greenlandair began operating its first jet aircraft, a Boeing 757-200. In 2002, Greenlandair changed its name to Air Greenland. It is owned by the Greenland government (37.5%), SAS Group (37.5%) and the Danish government (25%) and has 569 employees (at March 2007).
The intercontinental service to Copenhagen carried nearly 95,000 passengers in 2003. In 2003, Air Greenland won the U.S. Air Force contract for flights to Thule Air Base (previously held by SAS). Flights to Thule Air Base started in February 2004.[citation needed]SAS Group announced in a press release June 13, 2007, that they will sell their shares in Air Greenland.
In late August 2007, Air Greenland staff went on strike, stranding passengers, including conservative Michael Rubin of the National Review, in Greenland.
|