There is an air revolt brewing in northern Norway. Expensive tickets and few departures frustrate both the business world, politicians and families with children. “People are pissed off,” writes news’s political commentator Tone Sofie Aglen. Widerøe’s managing director has the same impression. – I think people are really pissed off in Northern Norway, so it’s time for something to happen, he says to news. Today he received the Center Party’s transport faction at Widerøe’s head office in Bodø. The discussion was naturally about how the flight offer could be cheaper and better in Northern Norway. In the Hurdal platform, the government announced that it will both ensure lower prices and more departures on the short-haul network, i.e. the 15 airports in Norway with short runways from which the airlines operate. The government’s aim is to halve the prices on the FOT routes, but so far little has happened. – Should take a Spanish one Nilsen in Widerøe thinks it’s all well and good that the government wants to cut the prices on the FOT routes, but he also thinks it’s not enough. He believes that it is important to think bigger – and that the government should simply take a Spanish one. – We are incredibly keen to stop the exodus and increase the attractiveness of living in the north, says Widerøe CEO Stein Nilsen. Photo: Kåre Riibe Ramskjell / news In Spain, the state takes 75 percent of the bill for the plane tickets for residents of the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands. – It is a model that has worked well for 20 years, says Nilsen. He believes that such a model will help stop the exodus and make it more attractive to live in Northern Norway. – The only question is how much money we have in Norway. In any case, this is a very, very accurate model, which will solve some of the challenges for those who live in northern Norway. Photo: Helge Lyngmoe / news – Today’s flight fees are extreme Nilsen has nothing against the fact that the government wants to cut the price of FOT routes. – We in Widerøe are of course in favor of the maximum rates on the tender being sharply reduced. But we don’t think that’s the solution to the whole problem. – It is incredibly important to see the tender network and the commercial routes together. If you only lower the maximum price on the FOT tender, it will still be just as expensive to fly Tromsø-Oslo or Bodø-Oslo. Nilsen believes that today’s flight fees are extreme. – We have the world’s highest government fees for flying domestically. It is not sustainable if you want to live in the north. – But won’t the Spanish model be very expensive? – Yes, but something has to happen. We cannot continue as we are now if we are to have people living in Northern Norway. Then it must be both a better and cheaper offer. Now Nilsen is proposing to the politicians and hopes for good discussions. Q: – An exciting model In the election campaign, the Center Party promised to halve the prices of air routes in the district. Today, the party was present at the meeting with Widerøe in Bodø. Erling Sande (Sp) is committee leader in the transport and communications committee at the Storting. He likes the proposal from the Widerøe manager to introduce the Spanish model in the northern part of the country. – It is an exciting model, which we must take a closer look at. Sp has a clear goal of bringing down flight prices for people and businesses who depend on flying around our country. Erling Sande (Sp) is committee leader in the transport and communications committee at the Storting, and attended the meeting with Widerøe CEO Stein Nilsen in Bodø today. Photo: Monica White Martinsen / news At the same time, he is clear that at the top of the Center Party’s priority list is halving the airfares on the short-haul network. Earlier this month, news told about the family from Kjøllefjord who had to fork out NOK 50,000 to visit their grandparents in Sandnessjøen. – When we see that families are paying up to NOK 50,000 to take their children to visit their grandparents, then we have to look at different measures to bring the price down, says Sande. He supports the budding air rebellion which is now underway in the northern part of the country. – We want the new tender to be better and cheaper for those who have to fly. These are FOT routes In order to ensure a good flight offer throughout the country, the state buys transport on flight routes that cannot be operated economically profitably. These routes are mainly in Western Norway and Northern Norway. FOT comes from “commitments to public services” In the purchase, requirements are set for ticket price, capacity, frequency, etc. Route area in southern Norway with contracts valid until 31 March 2024: Røros–Oslo Florø–Oslo Førde–Oslo Sogndal–Oslo Sandane –Oslo Ørsta-Volda–Oslo Ørsta-Volda–Bergen Sogndal–Bergen Sandane–Bergen Route area in Northern Norway with contracts valid until 31 March 2024: Routes between Kirkenes, Vadsø, Vardø, Båtsfjord, Berlevåg, Mehamn, Honningsvåg, Hammerfest and Alta. Hasvik–Tromsø, Hasvik–Hammerfest and Sørkjosen–Tromsø Lakselv–Tromsø Andøya–Bodø and Andøya–Tromsø Harstad/Narvik–Bodø and Harstad/Narvik–Tromsø Stokmarknes–Bodø and Stokmarknes–Tromsø Svolvær–Bodø Leknes–Bodø Røst–Bodø Brønnøysund– Bodø vv and Brønnøysund–Trondheim Sandnessjøen–Bodø vv and Sandnessjøen–Trondheim Mo i Rana–Bodø vv and Mo i Rana–Trondheim Mosjøen–Bodø vv and Mosjøen–Trondheim Namsos–Trondheim vv and Rørvik–Trondheim Route area with contracts valid until 31. July 2024: Værøy–Bodø (helicopter route) Source: Government
ttn-69
The Widerøe boss wants the state to pay for parts of the plane tickets for the Nordics – news Nordland
