Norway's largest regional airline Widerøe plans to operate some Finland to Norway flights on behalf of Finnair starting next month. In a statement released today, the Finnish flag carrier announced that Widerøe would begin flying between Helsinki-Vantaa Airport (HEL) and both Bergen Flesland (BGO) and Tromsø (TOS) airports in Norway from December 14th.

Widerøe will operate the flights using Havilland Canada DASH-8 Q400 turboprops. The flights will be marketed and sold by Finnair and will be based on the Finnair dual-class service concept.

Norwegians will be able to connect on Finnair flights from Helsinki

When speaking about the Widerøe flights in the Finnair statement Chief Commercial Officer at Finnair Ole Orvér said,

"We are pleased to restart our services to Bergen and Tromsø. Finnish travelers will enjoy direct flights to the Norwegian coast, known for its breathtaking scenery and ideal opportunities for exploring the beautiful fjords. We are also happy to be able to offer our customers in Norway great connections to Finnair's network in Europe, Asia, and the United States."

During the winter season, which runs until the end of March, the flights from Bergen to Helsinki will operate on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Beginning in April, Finnair will offer daily flights from the Finish capital to the southwestern Norwegian city of Bergen for the summer season.

The Tromsø Airport (TOS) to Helsinki-Vantaa Airport (HEL) will take place on a Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday and are now available for booking at Finnair.com.

About Widerøe

Established in 1934 by Viggo Widerøe, a notable Norwegian aviator, the airline is today the largest regional airline in Scandinavia. Widerøe has 2,500 employees and performs 450 take-offs and landings each day, flying to more than 40 domestic and international locations. According to ch-aviation, Widerøe has a fleet of 44 aircraft that comprises the following planes:

  • 20 x De Havilland Aircraft of Canada DHC-8-100s
  • 3 x De Havilland Aircraft of Canada DHC-8-Q100s
  • 3 x De Havilland Aircraft of Canada DHC-8-Q200s
  • 4 x De Havilland Aircraft of Canada DHC-8-Q300s
  • 10 x De Havilland Aircraft of Canada DHC-8-Q400s
  • 3 x Embraer ERJ 190-300
Wideroe
Wideroe provides public service flights to remote areas of Norway. Photo: Wideroe

Norwegian public service flights to regional airports account for just under half of all Widerøe flights, with all the rest being point-to-point operations that are used to feed larger airlines. Widerøe has bases at the following airports in Norway:

  • Bodø Airport (BOO)
  • Oslo Airport (OSL)
  • Bergen Flesland Airport (BGO)
  • Tromsø Airport (TOS)
  • TORP Sandefjord Airport (TRF)

Finnair plans for the re-opening of Asia

In other Finnair-related news, the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport (HEL)-based carrier says it is preparing for the re-opening of Asia and plans to fly to over 100 destinations in Asia, the US, and Europe starting from March 27, 2021. Finnair also plans to introduce new long-haul routes to Busan in South Korea, Tokyo Haneda, and Dallas/Fort Worth. Also, for the first time in its history, Finnair will offer summer flights to the Japanese city of Sapporo.

Finnair Airbus A350
Finnair has resumed services between Helsinki and Singapore with its Airbus A350-900. Photo: Getty Images

When speaking about Finnair's summer destinations, Finnair Chief Commercial Officer Ole Orvér said:

"We look forward to the world continuing opening again. Before the pandemic, Japan was our single largest market outside our home market Finland, and we look forward to returning to all our five destinations in Japan. We are also opening a new route to Busan in South Korea, demonstrating our continued commitment to offering the best and most sustainable connections between Europe and Asia via our Helsinki hub."

What do you think about Finnair partnering with Widerøe for flights to Norway? Please tell us your thoughts in the comments.