Widerøe: – Government makes it difficult – Dagsavisen

 
 

All the following changes, in chronological order, have benefited development in the wrong direction since 2013, according to the airline:

 
 

• The introduction of domestic CO2 tax.

 
• Increase in charge for such loss of half the minimum allowance.

 
• The loss of differentiated employer.

 
• Increase of CO2 tax.

 
• Increase of passenger tax.

 
• New increase in charge for such loss of the rest of the tax-free allowance.

 
• Increase of VAT rate from 8 to 10 percent.

 
• The introduction of aircraft seat fee of 88 million including VAT.

 

The overall effect of these changes has been increased spending of over 50 percent in some stretches as Widerøe flies on, according to the airline. On an annual basis involves tax changes increased costs in many million.

 
 

– Frames hardest

 
 

– aircraft seat fee is undoubtedly the one most affected, but it is still the sum of all fees which makes it very difficult to develop a good commercial offer in rural Norway, says Silje Brandvoll, director of communications and public affairs at Widerøe.

 
 

Widerøe operates 46 airports, including Sorkjosen, Andenes, Hasvik, Mehamn Leknes, Røst, Rørvik and Sandane. Many of us would struggle to place all these places on the map. For many other involves small aircraft seats virtually the only physical connection with the rest of the country.

 
 

– The special Widerøe passengers is that they have very few other options. For many Widerøe public transport services or “bus”. NSB does not go further north than Fauske. Large parts of western Norway also has no train service. If you wish to travel further in these areas is the car, boat, bus or plane that apply, but because of the large distances are flights often the only real option, says Brandvoll.

 
 

Fly sitting on the ground

 
 

After that Widerøe as much sailing in sparsely populated areas, passenger basis often limited. Thus, it should not take much for the profitability of a route disappears, according Brandvoll.

 
 

– The sharp tax increase has unfortunately made potentially profitable routes unprofitable, because the price the consumer would be too high. There is also reason to note that the sharp tax increase has occurred in parallel with a declining domestic market. Demand from the oil and gas customers, particularly in the belt Kristiansand to Kristiansund, has fallen significantly over the last two years, said Brandvoll.

 
 

– This has got concrete consequences?

 
 

– We have already put two planes on the ground and plan to put two additional aircraft on the ground from the beginning of the year, responding Brandvoll.

 
 

Many important features

 
 

The regional routes decreased by about 10 percent, after the first two planes stopped flying from April 1. Which routes will be affected when the next two aircraft being taken out of traffic, is not yet settled.

 
 

– A frequency less at an airport often dire consequences for those who will stay and live in the district municipalities, after which the airport is often the lifeblood of these communities, points Brandvoll.

 
 

– Routes linking small rural municipalities with wider society, creates jobs and allows for a one-day meeting in Oslo even if you live in Finnmark. In addition to carrying passengers, ensures these routes for the distribution of mail and freight. Moreover, health care added up in such a meeting that patients are transported to the centers for hospital treatment. A large part of our passengers are patients who for health reasons can not use other methods of travel, she added.

 
 

Total includes Widerøes fleet 41 aircraft of the Bombardier Dash 8 turbo propeller. The four different models Widerøe uses, have between 39 and 78 seats.

 
 

– Applies the many tax increases all of the routes theirs?

 
 

– No, this only applies to the commercial routes as Widerøe. Commercial routes represents approximately 65 percent of our business. All surcharges apply basically to all routes, but PSO, routes where we fly out to tender on the state, which represents 35 percent of our business, we get this compensated by the state, responding Brandvoll.

 
 

Because of the holidays had not Ministry chance to respond to criticism from Widerøe yesterday.

 
 

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