newstodate.aero

Mar 23, 2020 (newstodate): Enthusiasm was running high in Greenland as the country gained full ownership of its airline, Air Greenland.
   Until May 2019 and after years of negotiations, SAS finally divested of its 37.5 percent stake in the airline, ending a co-ownership since 1960.
    Now, with the spread of coronavirus that has also hit Greenland, the carrier shares the plights of most airlines in the world, with operations shut down, no or little income, and a pile of financial obligations including aircraft leases, wages and pensions for its staff.
   Last week, the Danish government decided on a financial help package to support the country's airlines, notably SAS - but Air Greenland now relies on its own government solely to seek short-term remedies.
   In January 2020, Air Greenland announced its decision to acquire an ex-factory Airbus A330-800neo aircraft to replace the current wide-body aircraft that will be close to the end of its service life by 2022 and sold as the new aircraft enters commercial service.
   The new aircraft will be delivered to Air Greenland by the end of 2021 and be ready as the country opens up for two new international airports replacing Kangerlussuaq.
   The acquisition of the new Airbus A330-800neo starts out as a MoU as a prelude to a firm order expected to be signed later this year.
   The deal is thus pinned down only in the form of a MoU, with binding signatures pending..
   In the fleet of Air Greenland are today one Airbus A330-200, one Beechcraft 200, seven Dash 8-200 aircraft as well as well as 19 rotary-wing aircraft.