SAS and Norwegian are hesitant to the new airport in Helgeland

SAS cancels 100 departuresSAS airlines. Photo: SAS

Neither SAS or Norwegian can promise that they will set up flights to and from the planned airport in Rana  in Helgeland.

SAS fear that the traffic base of the new regulars airport will be too low, according to NRK.

– As of today, the airport development does not benefits us. With a so thin traffic basis, we believe this development is a wrong priority, says Ove Myrold, director of public affairs and infrastructure in SAS.

Both SAS and Norwegian believes the new airport will entail increased costs for the airlines, which in turn will affect passengers.

– All major transport projects has a price tag, and we are concerned that a development like this will lead to increased fees for airlines and thus also higher ticket prices for customers, says communications director Lasse Sandakerveien-Nielsen.

The government and support paries secured in March majority in Parliament to allocate a half billion to a new main airport in Rana.

The money will however be note phased in until the second part of the plan period – at the earliest in 2024. It is assumed that the municipality and local businesses contributes  600 million NOK in the beginning. It is hoped that construction can start next year and that the airport should be completed in 2024.

CEO Torbjørn Lothe NHO Aerospace fear that the new airport in Rana will be a loss project – running a deficit of around 50 million annually.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today