– It is clear that the companies prefer to fly to other airports, says Stig Winther. He is the general manager of Perishable Center Nord, the company that facilitates the shipping of seafood from Evenes Airport. Behind him, a huge cargo plane from Qatar Airways has just landed. The plane is to be loaded with salmon from Lofoten and Vesterålen, but in the hold the plane also has several thousand liters of fuel for its own plane. The Qatar plane refills 3,600 liters of fuel to be able to return to Doha. Photo: Frida Brembo / news – The simple reason is that fuel is so expensive at Evenes, that they prefer to fill up before they get here. In addition, they bring their own fuel, which they can top up, so that they can get to their destination, Winther explains. The fuel at Evenes is unusually expensive. Here, and at the airports on Andøya, Bardufoss, Bodø, Lakselv and Ørland, fuel is between 35 and 50 per cent more expensive than elsewhere in the country. There are two reasons for that: All these airports serve as bases for fighter jets. It is the Norwegian Armed Forces who then own and operate the fuel tanks. The fuel they use is of a higher quality than normal jet fuel, and is thus more expensive. Since 2022, the Norwegian Armed Forces have had to pay extra CO2 tax for the fuel in addition. Which also contributes to increasing the price. The airlines that use these airports and need to refuel have no choice. They have to buy the expensive fuel. Or do like Qatar Airways to bring your own fuel. Stig Winther sees that several shipping companies choose a different solution. Instead of flying the fish and goods directly from northern Norway, it is transported by car or boat to other airports, such as Heathrow, Helsinki and Schiphol. – It is clear that the companies prefer to fly to other airports, says Stig Winther, here in front of a plane from Qatar Airways which is in Evenes to pick up fresh salmon. Photo: Frida Brembo / news – This leads, among other things, to the fact that we have already lost a scheduled flight this week. – How big is the price difference between Evenes and the other airports? – If we compare with Helsinki, the fuel is between NOK 4 and 5 more expensive per liter here. Winther is also concerned that less activity at the airport will have consequences for the part of the population that likes to travel. news has asked the Ministry of Finance whether they believe it is right that the mentioned airports should have more expensive fuel. See the answer further down in the case. – We compete with Heathrow, Helsinki and Schiphol for these flights. Of course the companies are opting out of Evenes when the fuel here is so expensive, says Stig Winther in Perishable Center Nord. Photo: Frida Brembo / news Airline passengers are also affected – When airlines choose to fly elsewhere, it destroys the basis for building a competitive airport. It covers the development of both passenger and cargo aircraft. Winther points out that there are big differences when it comes to the direct routes to and from the largest northern Norwegian airports. According to Avinor’s website, Tromsø Airport has 21 direct routes and 3 charter routes to abroad during a year. Evenes has 4 direct and 4 charter routes, while Bodø has 3 charter flights. – It is not that much nicer in Tromsø than in Bodø, Narvik, Lofoten and Vesterålen. The potential to get more flights both to Bodø and Evenes is present if we get competitive conditions for fuel. In some cases, the plane passengers also end up paying part of the fuel bill, according to Widerøe. – The situation entails increased costs for the airlines and consequently higher ticket prices, writes Satha Sritharan in Widerøe in an e-mail. Eirik Lahnstein in NHO sees the same challenge. Erik Lahnstein in NHO Luftfart believes that airlines and travelers must pay full emission quotas through the EU’s quota system already. Then there is the high CO2 tax imposed on the Norwegian Armed Forces in addition. Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten / NTB – In principle, Norwegian air passengers and Norwegian airlines already pay for their CO2 emissions through the EU’s quota system. When you have to have an additional CO2 tax at these airports, it is a double mistake, he says. – Ultimately, it results in higher flight prices, which can result in fewer travelers. If this is allowed to develop over time, it will in the worst case cause the route offer to deteriorate. NHO expects the authorities to look at the matter again. So does Bård Ludvig Thorheim, parliamentary representative for the Conservative Party. Qatar Airways cargo plane at Evenes. The airport has already lost a regular cargo flight and fears that more flights will be cancelled, according to Stig Winther. Photo: Frida Brembo / news Hoping for change – There is a lot of seafood and other goods going to the market around the world by air freight. With the high fuel prices, it will be more expensive to ship the goods out. It can go beyond jobs and value creation, says Thorheim. He has asked transport minister Jon-Ivar Nygård (Ap) whether he wants to ensure equal competitive conditions for airfreight from Evenes compared to airfreight from other airports in Norway and from abroad. – There must be an equal competitive situation where the fuel costs about the same per liter at Evenes as elsewhere. Bård Ludvig Thorheim in the Conservative Party recently became aware of the difference in fuel prices. Now he demands changes. Photo: Annika Byrde / NTB The seafood industry, the tourism industry and several terminal companies also want change. They have been in a meeting with the Ministry of Transport to discuss the matter. – We found the meeting to be very positive. They were going to try to do something about things, but it could take winter and spring. In the meantime, we have seen ourselves having to make people redundant, says Stig Winther. news has sent several questions to the Ministry of Finance in connection with the case. State Secretary Erlend Grimstad (Sp) is open to the possibility that there could be a change. – It is not in line with the tax’s intention that civil domestic quota-obligated aviation should be subject to a general rate in the CO2 tax on mineral products. The matter is now being assessed by the Directorate of Taxes. A possible regulatory change could have budgetary consequences and must be submitted for consultation in the ordinary way, he says to news. Transport Minister Jon-Ivar Nygård has responded to Bård Ludvig Thorheim on Thursday afternoon. – The Directorate of Taxation has the matter under consideration. A possible change to the regulations could have budgetary consequences and must be submitted for consultation in the ordinary way, Nygård replies. news has tried to get a comment from Qatar Airways, but has so far been unsuccessful. Published 06.09.2024, at 19.23
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Desperate over extra expensive jet fuel – news Nordland
