Air Greenland (GL, Nuuk) has signed a letter of intent to increase strategic cooperation with Icelandair (FI, Reykjavik Keflavik) to better harness "common opportunities" available to both airlines on services in and out of Greenland. The agreement will allow Air Greenland to funnel passengers to and from Icelandair's international flights while Icelandair can tap into Air Greenland's services around the self-governing Danish territory.
The ch-aviation capacities module reveals 6,810 seats a week are presently available on international services to and from Greenland, with Air Greenland's services to Copenhagen Kastrup providing 5,282 seats (77.56%) of the weekly total. Air Greenland also flies to Reykjavik Keflavik, and offers 259 seats (3.8%) a week on the route, giving the carrier an 81.36% market share.
Icelandair offers 1,155 seats a week on flights to and from Greenland from both Reykjavik Domestic and Reykjavik Keflavik, giving it a 16.96% market share, while Norlandair (FNA, Akureyri) offers 114 seats a week on flights to and from Greenland from Reykjavik Domestic and Akureyri, seeing that airline with a 1.68% market share.
"The cooperation will benefit both companies' customers and increase connectivity in their markets to, from, via and within Greenland and Iceland," says a statement from the two airlines. Icelandair says it has better integrated its regional operations with the international network by switching Greenland-bound flights from Reykjavik's Domestic Airport to Reykjavik Keflavik. Icelandair says this allows better connections to and from Air Greenland's network in Greenland to Iceland and Icelandair's route network in Europe and North America.
According to the ch-aviation PRO airlines module, Icelandair flies to 53 destinations in 18 countries across Europe and North America, including five destinations in Greenland - Kulusuk, Narsarsuaq, Nuuk, Kangerlussuaq, and Ilulissat. Air Greenland operates a substantial regional network, primarily along the territory's west coast, as well as the services to Reykjavik and Copenhagen.
"We will benefit from Air Greenland’s local knowledge and investment in infrastructure in Greenland and Air Greenland will benefit from our comprehensive sales and distribution network in Europe and North America," says Icelandair's CEO, Bogi Nils Bogason.
