newstodate.aero
Aug 14, 2014 (newstodate): Plans for start of new international air services by Viking International Airlines are still progressing - but emitting little news to the market.
In the first phase, the carrier would set up cargo flights through Lakselv Banak Airport in Northern Norway, to be followed by the introduction of flights with Boeing 747 combi aircraft lifting both seafood exports and passengers to destinations in the USA and Asia.
One visible sign of life is the registration of Viking International Airlines in Finland where the aircraft will also be registered to qualify as EU operations.
Representatives from the project earlier announced that the first freighter flights would take place already in September 2014, but so far no aircraft have been registered in Finland, and earlier promises to have the first Boeing 747 aircraft presented at Oslo Gardermoen Airport in early June 2014, readying for certification have also not been fulfilled.
Ragnvald Brobakken, the prime representative of the airline in Norway, however confirms that work is still progressing.
-Day by day, we are moving closer to a launch of services. We are currently signing contracts to this purpose and we still expect to have most details in order during August, as planned.
-We have, of course, met obstacles and challenges along the road, but we have solved the issues, says Mr Brobakken, speaking to newstodate on August 14.
No date for launch of services have yet been announced, though.
Given the turbulence in Norway's export of seafood after the implementation of a harsh Russian embargo on imports from countries including Norway, the project for new cargo and freighter capacity to the USA from Norway may be gaining momentum among exporters and producers that need to turn the seafood volumes rejected by Russia to other markets, with the USA as an important business case.
In the first phase, the carrier would set up cargo flights through Lakselv Banak Airport in Northern Norway, to be followed by the introduction of flights with Boeing 747 combi aircraft lifting both seafood exports and passengers to destinations in the USA and Asia.
One visible sign of life is the registration of Viking International Airlines in Finland where the aircraft will also be registered to qualify as EU operations.
Representatives from the project earlier announced that the first freighter flights would take place already in September 2014, but so far no aircraft have been registered in Finland, and earlier promises to have the first Boeing 747 aircraft presented at Oslo Gardermoen Airport in early June 2014, readying for certification have also not been fulfilled.
Ragnvald Brobakken, the prime representative of the airline in Norway, however confirms that work is still progressing.
-Day by day, we are moving closer to a launch of services. We are currently signing contracts to this purpose and we still expect to have most details in order during August, as planned.
-We have, of course, met obstacles and challenges along the road, but we have solved the issues, says Mr Brobakken, speaking to newstodate on August 14.
No date for launch of services have yet been announced, though.
Given the turbulence in Norway's export of seafood after the implementation of a harsh Russian embargo on imports from countries including Norway, the project for new cargo and freighter capacity to the USA from Norway may be gaining momentum among exporters and producers that need to turn the seafood volumes rejected by Russia to other markets, with the USA as an important business case.