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IQALUIT
Passenger traffic on a new Iqaluit-Nuuk flight route offered by circumpolar airline Air Greenland over the summer was strong enough to return the route for a second year in 2013, executives said.

Air Greenland is considering renewing its Iqaluit-Nuuk route, after a successful pilot season that wrapped up last month. - photo courtesy of Air Greenland

Official passenger-freight numbers for the Monday and Friday flight schedule, which operated June 15 through Sept. 3 on a pilot project basis, have not yet been released, but the route has potential for expansion, said Christian Keldsen, chief commercial officer at Air Greenland Inc..

"We've had a good season this year and we expect to fly again next year and extend the season a little bit," Keldsen told News/North, noting operational budgeting is continuing and seats for 2013 Iqaluit-Nuuk flights are not yet for sale.

Air Greenland previously operated an Iqaluit-Nuuk flight for 20 years before it was discontinued about 10 years ago for profitability reasons, Keldsen said.

Because of the many connections available from Iqaluit to destinations across Canada, Air Greenland will work with airlines such as First Air to improve passenger distribution for the Iqaluit-Nuuk flight with a global distribution system linking all destinations in Canada with Greenland, Keldsen said.

In addition to Canadian North and First Air -- the two major carriers that operate out of the Iqaluit International Airport -- several smaller operators use the airport for medevac, mineral exploration, and other charter flying, said John Hawkins, director of the Iqaluit International Airport.

In addition to renewing the Iqaluit-Nuuk route next summer, Air Greenland is considering extending the season that the pilot route was offered, to eventual all-year flights between the two cities.

While all-year scheduled flights from Greenland would increase operational demands at the airport, "the more (carriers) the merrier," Hawkins said.

"It looked to be a success from what I saw," he said about the Air Greenland scheduled flights. "We'd be glad to see them back."

Passenger traffic at the airport increased by nine per cent in 2011, Hawkins said, to about 140,000 passengers from about 126,000 the year before. Trends show the airport is on track for a six or seven per cent yearly increase this year, Hawkins estimated.

"It just keeps going up," he said.

The governments of Nunavut and Greenland have been trying to get a carrier to provide a direct link between Greenland and Canada for some time, Hawkins added, because of the cultural and industrial ties between the two countries.

While the direct flight Air Greenland offered cost $750 and required one hour and 45 minutes of flight time, previously travelling from Nuuk to Iqaluit would require several stops, days, and one-way ticket costs in the thousands of dollars including hotel accommodations.

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