Not to be confused with Atlantic Airlines, a British airline.

Atlantic Airways is the national airline of the Faroe Islands, operating domestic helicopter services and international passenger services as well as search and rescue responsibilities from its base at Vágar Airport, on the Faroese island of Vágar.

History

Regular air links to the Faroes had been in operation since 1963, between the islands and Denmark. Although the airport at Vágar had been constructed by the British Army during World War II, air traffic to the islands was practically non-existent between the departure of the British and the start of services to Copenhagen. Calls for the creation of a Faroese airline company began in the early 1980s. Passenger numbers were steadily increasing and Danish carrier Maersk Air enjoyed the monopoly as the sole airline to serve the Faroe Islands.

As a result, Atlantic Airways was established in 1987, initially between the Faroese Government (51%) and Danish airline Cimber Air (49%), though the Faroese government would assume full ownership in 1989. Flights commenced between Vágar and Copenhagen on 28 March 1988 using a British Aerospace BAe 146. A hangar was built at Vágar by the Faroese government in order to secure Atlantic Airways' home base in the Faroes, ensuring maintenance facilities were available on the islands.

The aim of the new airline company, which many predicted would have a short life, was to build up a Faroese aviation industry on a commercial basis and to ensure the Faroe Islands a good, up-to-date air connection with the outside world. Furthermore, the company aimed to improve the existing level of service. Flight crews and management were Faroese.

Though load factors were high and the new service was popular, Atlantic Airways had a turbulent beginning economically. The Faroe Islands suffered a severe economic depression in the early 1990s, and at its nadir in 1992, the Faroese government delivered 75 m DKK in aid to the ailing carrier. Atlantic Airways would not break into profit until 1995.

Flights were launched to Reykjavík in 1995 in co-operation with Air Iceland, and also to Narsarsuaq in Greenland in the summer months, in co-operation with Air Iceland. The latter half of the 1990s saw Billund in Denmark and Aberdeen in the UK added to Atlantic Airways' flight schedule.

The growing list of destinations and passenger numbers, together with the stabilisation of the airline's finances, saw a second BAe 146 added to the fleet in 2000. This new aircraft meant services to London (Stansted) in the UK and the Norwegian capital Oslo added to the network. Growth in tourism on the islands has also enabled flights to Aalborg, Stavanger, Stord and Edinburgh. However, for the 2006 season services to Stord have been discontinued, and Edinburgh replaced by the Shetland Islands. Atlantic Airways also entered the UK domestic market in 2006, becoming the only carrier to offer a direct service between Shetland and London, which it does on a twice weekly basis.

Atlantic Airways also operates a comprehensive domestic service by helicopter, in many instances a vital connection to many of the islands, which otherwise can only be reached by sea. The helicopter has proved a vital tool on the islands since the 1960s, when helicopters from Danish coast guard vessels patrolling the Faroes undertook a variety of tasks, including ferrying equipment and supplies between the islands. The government hired a helicopter in 1978 for these tasks, but in the 1980s a commercial public helicopter service was launched linking each of the islands using two Bell Helicopter Textron aircraft.

Initially, the helicopter service was a standalone company, SL Helicopters, but the decision to concentrate Faroese aviation into one firm led the helicopter department becoming part of Atlantic Airways in 1994. The helicopters provide a round trip 'hopper' service to each of the islands, which is also ideal for tourists looking for aerial views. At all time, the company is required to have at least one helicopter, operational and ready for search and rescue duties.

Over the last 5 years, Atlantic Airways has produced profits of between 8 and 13 million DKK. The company has increased its turnover greatly from approximately 120 million in 1998 to around 520 million DKK in 2006. Atlantic Airways employs 177 people (at January 2007).

Atlantic Airways was listed at the Iceland Stock Exchange December 10th. 2007 The Faroese government has decided on a privatisation process and has sold off 33% of the company in the first bidding round. First day of trading was December 10th. 2007 The government is planning to sell off 33% more in 2008

Special guests on Atlantic Airways

In October 2007, Atlantic Airways picked up former United States President Bill Clinton at Keflavík Airport and flew him to Faroe Islands, where Mr. Clinton and Mr. Hans Blix were speakers at an event organised by Faroe Islands Industry. After the event, Atlantic Airways flew Mr. Clinton to Copenhagen.

Route Network

International

In Summer 2008, Atlantic Airways will operate scheduled passenger flights between Vágar Airport and the following destinations..

Country	City	Airport	Frequency	Remarks
Denmark	Aalborg	Aalborg Airport	4x weekly
	Billund	Billund Airport	9x weekly	Winter service 2x weekly
	Copenhagen	Copenhagen International - Kastrup	Up to 6x daily
Iceland	Reykjavík	Reykjavík Airport	3x weekly
Norway	Stavanger	Sola Airport	2x weekly
Sweden	Stockholm	Stockholm-Arlanda Airport	2x weekly
Greenland	Narsarsuaq	Narsarsuaq Airport	2x weekly
United Kingdom	London	Stansted Airport	2x weekly
	Aberdeen	Aberdeen Airport	2x weekly
	Shetland	Sumburgh Airport	3x weekly

Charter operations

Atlantic Airways also operates some flights for Air Iceland between Reykjavík Airport and Narsarsuaq (Narsarsuaq Airport), Greenland and also for SAS on flights between Copenhagen and London City and Copenhagen and Stavanger, since they grounded their Dash 8-400s. This services are usually flown with their Rj85s and 146-200s. Atlantic Airways signed contract with SAS to continue operations on behalf of SAS as ACMI charters out of Copenhagen to Stavanger, London City and Birmingham. Atlantic Airways also operates charters for Danish tour operators to destinations like Italy, Croatia, France, Scotland, Norway, Czech republic etc. out of both Copenhagen Kastrup and Billund airport.

Domestic

Domestic helicopter service (current as of July 2007)

Sunday	Monday	Wednesday	Friday
12:00 Vágar Airport	08:00 Vágar Airport	09:45 Vágar Airport	09:45 Vágar Airport
12:11 Mykines	08:07 Koltur	09:56 Mykines	09:56 Mykines
12:22 Vágar Airport	08:12 Tórshavn	10:07 Vágar Airport	10:07 Vágar Airport
-	08:27 Skúvoy	-	-
13:07 Koltur	08:32 Dímun	11:00 Vágar Airport	11:10 Vágar Airport
13:12 Tórshavn	08:41 Froðba	11:07 Koltur	11:17 Koltur
13:27 Skúvoy	-	11:22 Tórshavn	11:22 Tórshavn
13:32 Dímun	09:00 Froðba	11:37 Skúvoy	11:34 Klaksvík
13:37 Skúvoy	09:09 Dímun	11:42 Dímun	11:46 Svínoy
13:52 Tórshavn	09:14 Skúvoy	11:51 Froðba	11:50 Kirkja
14:04 Klaksvík	09:29 Tórshavn	-	11:53 Hattarvík
-	09:41 Klaksvík	12:35 Froðba	12:11 Klaksvík
14:35 Klaksvík	09:53 Svínoy	12:44 Dímun	-
14:47 Svínoy	09:57 Kirkja	12:49 Skúvoy	13:00 Klaksvík
14:51 Kirkja	10:00 Hattarvík	13:04 Tórshavn	13:12 Tórshavn
14:54 Hattarvík	10:18 Klaksvík	13:16 Klaksvík	13:27 Skúvoy
15:12 Klaksvík	-	13:28 Svínoy	13:32 Dímun
15:24 Tórshavn	10:45 Klaksvík	13:32 Kirkja	13:41 Froðba
15:29 Koltur	10:57 Tórshavn	13:35 Hattarvík	-
15:36 Vágar Airport	11:02 Koltur	13:53 Klaksvík	14:15 Froðba
	11:09 Vágar Airport	-	14:24 Froðba
	-	14:40 Klaksvík	14:29 Skúvoy
	11:21 Vágar Airport	14:52 Tórshavn	14:44 Tórshavn
	11:32 Mykines	14:57 Koltur	14:49 Koltur
	11:43 Vágar Airport	15:04 Vágar Airport	14:56 Vágar Airport
			-
			15:30 Vágar Airport
			15:41 Mykines
			15:52 Vágar Airport

Fleet

Fleet consists of the following aircraft (at December 2007)

Type	Total	Registrations	Remarks
BAe 146-200	3	OY-RCA, OY-RCB, OY-RCW
Avro RJ100	2	OY-RCC, OY-FJE
Avro RJ85	2	OY-RCD, OY-RCE
Bell 212	1	OY-HMB
Bell 412EP	2	OY-HSR, OY-HSJ
AW 139	1

Atlantic has also placed an order for 1 Airbus A319 with 1 option. Atlantic Airways sold and leased back one of the Avro RJ85 on the 6. of october 2008. By 6. of october Atlantic Airways is leasing 3 aircrafts and owes 4..

Incidents and Accidents

See main article: Atlantic Airways Flight 670''

• At 7:35 local time on October 10, 2006 a BAe 146-200A (registration OY-CRG, C/n / msn: E2075) skidded off the runway at Stord Airport, Norway. Of the twelve passengers and four crew members onboard at the time, four were found dead while twelve managed to escape the wreckage with various injuries. The aircraft had been chartered by Aker Kværner in order to fly personnel from Stavanger (Sola Airport) to Molde (Molde Airport) via Stord. The aircraft appears to have been unable to stop on the runway when its spoilers failed to extract during landing. The aircraft crossed the threshold and continued down a slope before coming to rest and catching fire.
• On March 24, 2008 a BAe 146 lost one nose wheel just before takeoff from Copenhagen Airport. The plane landed in Faroe Islands without problems; the pilots had not noticed any irregularities.
• 198X at Vagar Airport. a BAe 146-200A (registration OY-CRG, C/n / msn: E2075) could not stop on runway and turned in to safety strip. No injuries, but some damage on body and engines.

External links

• Atlantic Airways

References