Barents Region’s only east-west flight could be grounded in late October
TROMSØ: Pskovavia’s permission to fly to Tromsø expires in two weeks. Passengers fears the route will be closed since no alternatives exist.
The old An-24 propeller is a well-known aircraft for travellers of the Barents skies. Under different airliner brands, the aircraft has operated the route from Arkhangelsk, via Murmansk to Tromsø for nearly 20 years. In the 90s and early 2000s the aircraft was also operating the route from Murmansk to Rovaniemi and Luleå.
From start of the winter-route season, on October 24, it could all end. Norwegian aviation authorities has sent a clear message to Pskovavia that they can no longer fly, since the license for the route belongs to another airliner, Arkhangelsk-based Nordavia.
Confusing history
Nordavia was flying the route with the same aircraft until late 2012, when Pskovavia took over, painted a small version of their logo on the airplane’s nose and continued to fly to Tromsø twice a week. Tickets and marketing, air crew, seats’ upholstery, sugar bag to the coffee and the tale of the plane, however, are all branded with Nordavia.
The tricky operation of the route, with a plane passengers believe belongs to Nordavia, while it is operated by Pskovavia, becomes even more confusing when looking into the web portals of the two companies. Nordavia sells tickets and lists the route on their arrival and departure information. Pskovavia on the other side have no information about the route to Tromsø in their list of destinations and departure, arrival times.
Intermediate solution
Other avaiation portals, like Flightradar24 and Airport-data both list the plane that is operated on the route, with the registration number RA-46667, as registered with Nordavia.
Pskovavia wants to continue their flights between Arkhangelsk, Murmansk and Tromsø, but the Norwegian, Russian civil aviation agreement lists Nordavia as operator of the route.
Spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority of Norway, Bjørn Erlandsen, says to BarentsObserver that they have accepted this as an intermediate solution.
“When the Civil Aviation Authority approved the summer schedules to the company in March, it was clearly said that if Pskovavia should fly the winter schedules instead of Nordavia, we would need a formal approval of the company from Russian authorities in accordance with the air transport agreement,” says Bjørn Erlandsen.
He says they have received an application from Pskovavia for the route, and a note from Nordavia that they have no objections.
Unique route
For passengers, the route is the only one linking northern Norway with northern Russia. Alternative routes would be way longer and far more expensive, flying south to catch a flight between the capitals Oslo and Moscow, before flying north again.
Jonny Andersen is airport director in Tromsø and says the route between Tromsø and Murmansk is unique.
“What we are trying to do here in Tromsø is to build the hub of Barents, the airport hub with connections to all the major cities in the neighbouring countries of Finland, Sweden and Russia. Having that route from Tromsø to Murmansk is
essential. Without it we have a totally different picture than we have today,” Jonny Andersen says to BarentsObserver.
“The route is the gateway from Tromsø to Northwest-Russia. I would really like to see more flights per week, even per day. Murmansk is the largest city above the Arctic Circle and of course we have to serve that one. Having the possibility to fly to Murmansk is absolutely unique,” Andersen argues.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Captain ignored co-pilot’s warnings before plane crash in Canadian Arctic, CBC News
Finland: Finnair adding more flights to Lapland, Yle News
Greenland: Air Greenland plans another summer of Iqaluit-Nuuk flights, CBC News
Iceland: Flights to Iceland to start next March from Edmonton, Canada, CBC News
Sweden: EU Sweden project may lead to ‘green’ flights at airports, Radio Sweden
United States: Tackling ‘frost boils’ on Alaska’s Arctic Highway, Alaska Dispatch
