Nordica CEO and management board member Erki Urva says it is pleasing to see signs of revitalisation on the Swedish market, which is sure to boost the airline’s sense of security that forecasts regarding the gradual recovery of the market will be met.
“We’re optimists, so we’re looking at the light at the end of the tunnel rather than how much more of the tunnel we still have to get through,” he remarkes. “Business clients who get around a lot have been itching for flights to resume between Northern Sweden and Stockholm, and holiday travel is taking off again as well. More and more passengers are seeing the value in quick, convenient direct flights, since they ensure the maximum possible safety for them and those close to them. We’re truly grateful to all of our passengers who are following the safe flying rules, since they’re making their own contribution to stopping the spread and reducing the risk of COVID-19.”
The global pandemic led to as much as a 91% reduction in passenger numbers on Nordica’s Northern Swedish route, resulting in drastic changes to the flight schedule. However, cooperation with local governments and communities, transport authorities, airports and passengers has enabled the airline to come up with solutions that meet everyone’s needs despite the difficult times.
Until the end of October, passengers will be able to fly from Gällivare and Arvidsjaur to Stockholm and back again four days a week – on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Passenger safety and satisfaction are Nordica’s number-one priority, which is why it was primarily the needs and demands of clients that were taken into account when adjusting the flight schedule. Changes in passenger numbers are analysed on a daily basis, and when positive trends emerge, new flights can be added to the schedule. Accuracy indicators have also improved across the board for Northern Swedish flights, with 99.12% of all flights in the last six months operating as planned, 98.43% of which took to the air within 15 minutes of the scheduled departure time.
Nordica has also been offering a charter flight service since the start of August, enabling private and business clients and companies to order flights as needed. One of the airline’s greatest advantages is its fleet, which is one of the youngest and most efficient in Europe and allows it to offer passengers quick and convenient direct flights around the continent and beyond.
Founded in 2015, Nordic Aviation Group AS has grown to become the biggest aviation company in Estonian history. Before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic the airline transported around two million passengers annually, operating 22 aircraft and employing more than 600 specialists in Estonia and abroad. It has been partnered with LOT Polish Airlines since 2016. Prior to the coronavirus crisis, Nordica’s subsidiary Regional Jet provided flight services to LOT, Nordica, SAS, Air Serbia and other partners in Europe on the basis of procurement contracts. Since November 2019, Nordica’s focus has been on providing regular flights on the basis of public service obligations. In August this year the airline also started offering charter flights.