24.3.2011
Copenhagen challenges Helsinki’s hub position

Blue1, which is owned by SAS, is going to strengthen Copenhagen Airport’s position as a Nordic and Baltic main hub this autumn by opening a new route to Tampere, the third largest-city in Finland.

Copenhagen Airport will be challenging Helsinki’s position as the gateway to Europe for travellers from Finland. The challenge will materialise when Blue1, owned by SAS, launches a service with two daily frequencies between Copenhagen and Tampere, the third-largest city in Finland and a major industrial city, also known as the “Manchester of Finland”.

“When the new service opens this autumn, the many passengers in Finland who have previously had to travel via Helsinki will have much easier access to Europe and the minimum 23 intercontinental destinations served non-stop out of Copenhagen,” said Carsten Nørland, VP, Sales for Copenhagen Airport, and continued:

“Routes such as this one are very valuable to Copenhagen, Denmark and our region as a whole. It strengthens Copenhagen Airport’s position as a main Nordic and Baltic hub and enhances international accessibility to the region as a whole. It is very important to both trade and industry, and to tourism.”  

A Star Alliance airline
Blue1 is a member of the Star Alliance, which increases the importance of the new route as a feeder route to the broad Star Alliance route network out of Copenhagen Airport. With the backing of the Star Alliance – and SAS – and the double-daily frequencies, morning and evening on weekdays, and evening on Sundays, the new route is good news especially for the many business travellers between Copenhagen and Tampere. Juha Järvinen, Vice President Commercial at Blue1, said:

“This new route from Copenhagen to Tampere is another important feeder route from the important SAS hub in Copenhagen, connecting the largest inland city in the Nordic region with more than 215,000 inhabitants with Copenhagen. Together with SAS, we now offer ten daily flights to Helsinki, two daily flights to Turku and now, as of October, two daily flights to Tampere, offering the largest variety of travel options from Denmark to Finland".

To be launched with the winter programme
Blue1 opens the new route with the launch of the winter programme on 30 October, and the route will be operated with 72-seater ATR72-500s.

For more information on the route and on the rest of Blue1’s network, go to www.blue1.com