Norwegian Air Shuttle is reportedly on the lookout for a brand new Danish base amid staff shortages and lengthy delays. As reported by ch-aviation, the Scandinavian carrier is examining nearby alternatives to Copenhagen Airport (CPH) to stop disruption throughout the busy summer season.
Ongoing disruption
While many airports across Europe have managed to bolster staff figures following last yr’s travel figures, Copenhagen has seen itself lag barely behind in its hiring efforts. Delays and disruption were exacerbated through April and early May, with 45% of flights facing delays of over quarter-hour, 400 flight cancellations, and over 60,000 affected passengers, in response to a report published by the airport.
On April 23, the airport faced significant delays following industrial motion undertaken by ATC staff over wages and dealing hours. Copenhagen ATC operator Naviair laid off around a fifth of its staff throughout the coronavirus pandemic, leaving remaining employees with additional work and stagnated pay.
The prolonged dispute now has overarching effects, with carriers operating on the airport expressing frustration on the disruption. Based on Ritzau, the airline has discussed the problem with the Danish government and competitor SAS Scandinavian Airlines.
Photo: Norwegian
Denmark’s industrial confederation, Dansk Industri, has begun putting pressure on the federal government to act ahead of a this summer. In a letter signed by Dansk Industri branch director Karsten Lauritzen, the group advised the federal government to stop a capability reduction on the airport following concerns about long-term stagnation. Politicians have avoided getting involved within the dispute, local media reports.
Alternatives on offer
Copenhagen is Norwegian’s primary base of operations in Denmark, with over 30 year-round and 25 seasonal destinations connecting through the airport. With a busy summer season looming, the carrier’s options are narrowing. Talking to Ritzau, Norwegian CEO Geir Karlsen noted,
Photo: Tanhu / Shutterstock
Inside Denmark, alternatives are limited. The closest secondary international airport to the capital is Roskilde (RKE). Nonetheless, the airport’s limited runway length is simply too small to handle conventional narrowbody jets corresponding to Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 family aircraft. Denmark’s second and third largest airports, Billund (BLL) and Aalborg (ALL) are equipped for Norwegian’s operations; nevertheless, each are a several-hour drive from Copenhagen – excluding traffic.
To the east of the Öresund Bridge, Malmö (MMX) is another choice for Norwegian. The Swedish airport is a brief commute from Copenhagen, served by road and rail links. While not currently served by the carrier, Malmö has the capability to handle as much as 4 million yearly passengers, over double its pre-pandemic levels. Several carriers operate scheduled and charter services from the airport, including Ryanair, SAS, Wizz Air, and Sunclass Airlines.
What are your thoughts on Norwegian’s decision to search for an alternate airport this summer? Tell us within the comments.