Air Greenland
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Air Greenland

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Air Greenland

Air Greenland A/S (formerly named Grønlandsfly and Greenlandair) is the flag carrier of Greenland, owned by the Greenlandic Government. It operates a fleet of 28 aircraft, including a single Airbus A330-800 airliner used for transatlantic and charter flights, 9 fixed-wing aircraft primarily serving the domestic network, and 18 helicopters feeding passengers from the smaller communities into the domestic airport network. Flights to heliports in the remote settlements are operated on contract with the government of Greenland. Its domestic and international hub is at Nuuk Airport.

Besides running scheduled services and government-contracted flights to most villages in the country, the airline also supports remote research stations, provides charter services for tourists and Greenland's energy and mineral-resource industries and permits medivac during emergencies. Air Greenland has seven subsidiaries, an airline, hotels, tour operators, and a travel agency specialised in Greenlandic tourism.

Founded in 1960 as Grønlandsfly, the airline started its first services with Catalina seaplanes and within the decade expanded to include DHC-3 Otters as well as Sikorsky S-61 helicopters. The majority of operations in early years were based on helicopters until the late 1990s when a network of short takeoff and landing STOLports were constructed served by a fleet of DHC-7 turboprops, later replaced by DHC Dash 8-200 aircraft.

In the late 1990s, Air Greenland acquired a Boeing 757 (later replaced by an Airbus A330) allowing it to open connections to Copenhagen, until then operated by SAS, which also competed in the mid-to-late 2000s. International jet routes were operated from Kangerlussuaq Airport and to a lesser extent Narsarsuaq Airport.

In the 21st century, it competes with Icelandair for international connections and small charter services domestically. In 2016, it was decided that three new or rebuilt airports would be built closer to population centres in Nuuk, Ilulissat and Qaqortoq. These airports will accommodate larger jet aircraft which can serve international destinations. As a result, the Air Greenland's hub at Kangerlussuaq Airport was transferred to the rebuilt Nuuk Airport in 2024. Ilulissat Airport and Qaqortoq Airport (replacing Narsarsuaq Airport) will open in 2026.

The airline was established on 7 November 1960 as Grønlandsfly A/S, by the Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) and Kryolitselskabet Øresund, a Danish mining company involved with the cryolite operations at Ivittuut to provide transport and logistics for four American radar bases in Greenland. In 1962, interests in the firm were acquired by the Provincial Council (now the Greenland Home Rule Government) and the Royal Greenland Trade Department (now KNI).

The first flights serving the American bases in Greenland operated lightweight DHC-3 Otters and Sikorsky S-55 helicopters chartered from Canada. After a crash in 1961, Grønlandsfly used PBY Catalina water planes and DHC-6 Twin Otters on domestic routes. One of the Catalinas then crashed in 1962. In 1965, the Douglas DC-4 became the line's first larger airplane. It was followed by Sikorsky S-61 helicopters, which have remained in use: in 2010, they still served the communities of Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland year-round and those of Disko Bay during the winter.

During the 1970s, Grønlandsfly upgraded its DC-4 to the newer DC-6, but principally focused on expanding its helicopter fleet, purchasing five more S-61s. By 1972, it opened up service to east Greenland with a helicopter based in Tasiilaq, and established Greenlandair Charter. Mining at Maamorilik in the Uummannaq Fjord required still more helicopters, and the airline purchased Bell 206s for the route. Grønlandsfly also picked up a Danish government contract to fly reconnaissance missions regarding the sea ice around Greenland.

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