Air Greenland (GL, Nuuk) is contemplating adding A320 Family narrowbodies to capitalise on new opportunities when three airports in the territory expand to accommodate international operations by 2025.
"We are, of course, looking into adding the A320 family to the fleet, it is something we are discussing. That is something to aim for, but no decision has been made yet," Chief Executive Jacob Nitter Sørensen told Aviation Week.
The airline does not currently operate any narrowbody aircraft, although it used a single B757-200 between 1998 and 2010 (initially as Grønlandsfly), according to the ch-aviation fleets history. It recently took delivery of its first and only A330-800, which will gradually replace an existing A330-200 by March 2023. Domestic flights are operated by a fixed-wing fleet of one DHC-8-200 and six DHC-8-Q200s, and helicopters on thinner services. The airline also operates one Beech (twin turboprop) Super King Air as a medevac aircraft.
Air Greenland's network opportunities are currently limited by airport infrastructure in the territory. The carrier runs its core service to Copenhagen Kastrup from Kangerlussuaq, a former US military airbase far from the territory's main settlements, as it has a sufficiently long runway. This forces Air Greenland to operate a domestic feeder hub at the airport, despite limited local demand, and thus increases the complexity of its operations. The only other airports currently capable of handling widebody aircraft are Narsarsuaq and Pituffik/Thule. The former is another former US military facility, and the latter remains operated by the United States Air Force for its extensive military facilities in northern Greenland. Air Greenland operates charters from Thule but the airport has no scheduled service.
However, the territory is currently expanding airports in the capital city Nuuk and in Ilulissat, the largest and the third-largest city in Greenland, respectively. The fourth largest city of Qaqortoq is also scheduled to see its runway expansion completed by 2025. Each of the cities will then be capable of handling international flights directly, with no need to connect in Kangerlussuaq.
