Norwegian Air said on July 6 disruptions caused by a shortage of air traffic controllers at the Copenhagen airport, a big hub for the airline, were easing.
“The air traffic control issues at Copenhagen airport that impacted our operations in June have improved,” it said in a statement.
Norwegian Air voiced concerns in May over the staff shortages during its busy summer months, and rival SAS said last month it was seeking compensation for the costs caused by the situation.
Naviair, the company controlling air traffic in Danish airspace, shed 46 air traffic controllers in voluntary layoffs during the Covid-19 pandemic, leaving remaining staff to take additional paid shifts as travel recovered.
But Naviair controllers in late April began turning down the extra work in a conflict over work hours, leading to delays and cancellations.
The two companies, which have been collaborating on routes since last year, will continue to operate independently, but the networks will be more closely integrated in the future, Norwegian Air CEO Geir Karlsen said. “This will make it more attractive for passengers,” he told a news conference. Privately-held Wideroe, Scandinavia’s largest regional-only airline, serves short-haul routes in a sparsely populated region with few train lines and challenging geography.
European airports are in the middle of another busy summer as passenger numbers globally recover to pre-pandemic levels.Airlines have said they are ready to avoid a repeat of last year’s travel chaos, after strikes and staff shortages forced them to cancel thousands of flights to avoid long queues at major airports.
But air traffic control strikes, which have caused airlines to demand protections for overflights, and ongoing wage talks by airport and airline staff could bring about further disruptions.
Earlier, Norwegian Air announced its decision to buy domestic peer Wideroe for 1.13 billion crowns (USD 106 million). Norwegian Air said in a statement it saw potential annual synergies from the acquisition of 200-300 million Norwegian crowns.
“The transaction is expected to provide significant benefits for travellers, employees and shareholders, and to strengthen the combined Norwegian and Wideroe as a key part of critical domestic infrastructure,” the airline said.
It said it expected to close the deal by the end of the fourth quarter and would finance it through available funds. The companies will continue to operate under their separate brands.
