Routes Europe 2022 takes place in Bergen, Norway, next week. It's hosted by Avinor, operator of 44 airports across the spectacularly beautiful country.

Europe and the wider world's airline and airport network planning community will be traveling to Bergen – the capital of the world-renowned fjords – for the 15th iteration of the event, running between May 18th and 20th May.

Simple Flying is delighted to be a Routes media partner, and I'll be attending. The event will unite decision-makers from airlines, airports, destinations, and other stakeholders from across Europe and beyond; they're invested in the future of European air connectivity.

Nearly 400 organizations are registered to attend, including 306 airlines and airports. As Routes says:

Develop your recovery strategy, gain exclusive insight and discuss new market opportunities with the people who decide where the region's aircraft fly, all under one roof at Routes Europe.

United Airlines (Her Art Here-California Livery) Boeing 757-224 N14106 (2)
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying.

Stay aware: Sign up for my weekly new routes newsletter.

90 airlines have signed up

Routes events are best known for 'speed dating' between airlines and airports. This involves a short amount of time to meet up to discuss new route opportunities and potentially even new bases. As Routes puts it:

Unmissable opportunities to discuss and negotiate future business with senior professionals from the air service development community.

Senior network planners from 89 airlines have already confirmed their attendance, including from:

  • Air Canada
  • Air France
  • American
  • British Airways
  • Delta
  • easyJet
  • Etihad
  • KLM
  • Lufthansa
  • Norwegian
  • SWISS
  • TAP Air Portugal
  • Turkish Airlines
  • United
  • Volotea
  • Wizz Air
Routes Europe 2022
Face-to-face speed dating, a big conference program, and many social and network events underpin Routes Europe. Image: Routes.

Discover more aviation news.

Social events and presentations too

Our friends at Routes have lined up many exciting events to surround speed dating, the event's core. There's a big gala dinner and seven complimentary tours.

Social events will showcase what Bergen and the wider region have to offer, which you can’t typically experience in a quick business visit. A popular option is sure to be the three-hour cruise, seeing deep fjords, steep mountains, and mighty waterfalls.

Then there's a comprehensive conference program with large numbers of C-Level speakers. They'll be discussing route development, sustainability, green tourism, technology, and more. Included are CEO Keynote Interviews, such as with the bosses of SAS and startup Norse Atlantic.

NORWEIGIAN_AIRLINES_BOEING_737-800_LN-NOW_AT_BERGEN_FLESLAND_AIRPORT_NORWAY_JUNE_2014_(14607350903)
This summer, Norwegian is Bergen's leading airline by seats for sale, but obviously Widerøe is for flights. Photo: calflier001 via Flickr.

Bergen, Norway's second busiest airport

Bergen is Norway's second-busiest airport this summer. It has 6.1 million seats for sale, the first time it has ever passed six million. It's up by 15% over summer 2019, thanks to the entry of Flyr in late 2021 and significant growth by Widerøe.

It's also from the entry of Lufthansa from Munich (started May 7th), the resumption of Loganair from Edinburgh (May 11th), United Airlines beginning Newark (May 21st), Lübeck Air (May 23rd), and Edelweiss from Zurich (June 4th).

Multiple other routes have or will start, including four with Flyr (Alicante, Malaga, Nice, Zadar), three with Widerøe (Florence, Nice, Palma), and three with Norwegian (Billund, Paris CDG, Stockholm Arlanda).

Have you ever been to Bergen? Let us know in the comments.