Widerøe: – We have not done anything wrong – NRK

ESA announced Tuesday morning that the Authority opens proceedings against the airline Widerøe for suspected violations of the competition rules.

The company risks a kjempebot. Fines from ESA capped at 10 percent of the turnover, which was well 3.9 billion in 2015.

The reason is that Widerøe sitting on all remaining stocks of components that are required to use the Avinor system for precision landing on the STOL network .

Competition Authority will now investigate whether Widerøe has abused his position by denying others access.

It understands Widerøe nothing of.

– This are components that we have bought in the open market. We chose to buy up part of for as a reserve when they went out of production, says Silje Brandvoll, who is communications director at Widerøe.

Since the summer of 2012, the component GLS-1250, which Widerøe own, been available for leasing by the Canadian company Field Aviation.

– we are surprised and ask ourselves surprised that ESA now forecasts that the open case, says Silje Brandvoll, communications Director of Widerøe.

Photo: Adrian Dahl Johansen / NRK

– we have not done anything wrong and can demonstrate that we have made sure to make these components available to ensure competition. Therefore, we are surprised that they chose to go ahead with their investigations, she said.

– Have put everything we have available

– But you have priced these components on a way that makes it still is not real competition?

– no, we have not.

– have you then set a sufficient volume available ?

– Yes. We have set 10 pieces available, and that is what we have said Brandvoll.

No conclusion until next year

ESA Director Gjermund Mathisen says to NRK that the supervisory authority is now finished reviewing the evidence collected during the raid with the airline two years ago.

– Specifically, we will examine whether Wideroe is the only one who has access to a technology that is required to operate on a portion of PSO in Norway, he said.

– but this is equipment that Widerøe has acquired on the open market but as far as we understand not manufactured anymore?

– We understand that this has gone out of production, and that it no longer comes new components to this system. It appears that there is Widerøe that owns the components that are available, he said.

– So then Widerøe share these components?

– it may be after the competition rules, that Widerøe virtue of its dominant position is obliged to share. This is precisely what the research now sets in motion shall clarify, he said.

Now ESA dialogue with Widerøe on the matter. Any notification of decision will not come until 2017.