12.8.2011
Hub strengthened with the addition of two new routes
When the upcoming winter programme starts, the two SAS-owned airlines Widerøe and Blue1 will each open a new route out of Copenhagen, one to Haugesund in Norway and one to Tampere in Finland. Both routes are to feed passengers into the hub at Copenhagen.
”The Haugesund route will improve the offering of international connections to business travellers connected to the oil industry, among others, and the route to Finland’s third city of Tampere will strengthen access to an important educational centre boasting several universities.
Also, the two routes will strengthen our ability to continue attracting new intercontinental routes because they will act as important feeder routes,” explains Director of Airline Sales & Route Development at Copenhagen Airports, Ole Wieth Christensen.
Feeder routes strengthen hub
A large number of feeder routes is a key fundamental for airlines to be able to fill intercontinental aircraft seating 250-300 passengers on a daily basis, and both of these routes will contribute to strengthening Copenhagen Airport’s position as a traffic hub.
”We believe this will be the most important international connection for the still-expanding business community of the Haugesund region, because it will provide a fast connection to major parts of SAS' international route network at Copenhagen. Also, Copenhagen itself is an attractive destination that will now be less than 90 minutes away”, says Sverre Sletten, Head of Regional Routes at Widerøe.
European focus
Blue1 is also focused on supplying the business community in and around Tampere with better connections to European destinations, in particular.
”Over the coming year, we plan to give priority to the Scandinavian market, and the opening of the Copenhagen – Tampere route is an important step for us as the route will strengthen our position in the business community of the Tampere region", states Janne Hattula, Director Network & Revenue Management, Blue1.
Blue1 will serve its Tampere route with eleven weekly flights using a 50-seat SAAB 2000, while Widerøe will serve its Haugesund route with six weekly flights using a Dash-8 Q400 seating 78 passengers. Both routes will open when the winter programme takes effect on 30 October.