Flugblogg
  • Airlines
  • Airports
  • Flight Safety
  • Helicopters
  • Lifestyle
  • About Us
Flugblogg
Support Us
  • Airlines
  • Airports
  • Flight Safety
  • Helicopters
  • Lifestyle
  • About Us
Airbus Helicopter H130 (reg. OE-XCF) will be exclusively available for Circle Air during the summer 2019 // Source: Circle Air
  • Airlines
  • Helicopters
  • Long read

How Circle Air expands with rotary-wing rounds

  • February 22, 2019
  • 3 minute read

North Iceland based charter and Tours Company Circle Air is expanding its service. On the way to its goal, they made an agreement with Austrian- based helicopter lessor Heli-Austria. Flugblogger has learned details of the expansion, which goes despite slowing growth in tourism.

Circle Air feels ready to grow. Before the year 2019, the company´s services were provided by airplanes only. There are two 7-seaters Gippsland Aeronautics GA8-TC-320 (reg. TF-CAD and TF-CAB) and 9-seater Beechcraft King Air B200 (reg. TF-NLB). In addition, the company advertises its service on 19-seaters DHC-6 Twin Otter’s (reg. TF-NLC and TF-NLD). According to Icelandic aviation authority (Samgöngustofa) website, these aircrafts are registered by Norlandair. It is a niche operator based in Akureyri, mainly focussing on specialized work in Greenland and the Faeroe Islands, in addition to government contracts for scheduled flights to towns in Northern Iceland: Grimsey, Raufarhofn and Thorshofn.

According to Circle Air´s website, their flights are dedicated to sightseeing and aerial photography, whale watching, private adventures, and highland transportation „whatever kind of flying that requires rugged reliability“. Now the company is going to expand the list with helicopter charters.

„Last year was good in terms of bookings and the outlook for 2019 is encouraging“, Marketing Director of Circle Air Þórunn Sigurðardóttir told Flugblogger, „Circle Air is hoping to be “A One Stop Shop” in air transport solutions in Iceland, especially now by adding luxury helicopters to the selection of superb fixed-wing options. We will be based in both Reykjavik and Akureyri and therefore, able to cater for more diverse needs of our clients. We teamed up with Heli-Austria to provide us with this new addition to the fleet and I think that speaks for itself in quality.“ No details about Reykjavik base were given now, as „some minor details about location“ are still being managed.

The Heli-Austria CEO Roy Knaus told Flugblogger, his company has sent to Iceland six Airbus Helicopters, which Circle Air will be able to use through partnerships with local companies and one aircraft exclusively for them. The list includes Airbus Helicopters H125 (reg. OE-XDE, OE-XIE, and OE-XME) for the Arctic Heli Skiing tours operator in Northern Iceland, also one H125 (reg. OE-XOE) and one H130 (reg. OE-XCF) for the Icelandic subsidiary of Eleven tour operator. „Circle Air has got access to those helicopters in cooperation with these companies in winter and exclusivity on the H130 (reg. OE-XCF) and AS355 (reg. OE-XAG) in summer“, Roy Knaus explained and emphasized more options for Circle Air´s expansion in future, „Circle Air can get all helicopters they want from us – we also have 4 AS332 Super Pumas, Airbus H145, etc.“

All helicopters were sent to Iceland from Europe by ferry. Circle Air announced, that first aircrafts have arrived in Iceland.

 

Circle Air´s expansion is going forward despite concerns about the situation in the tourism industry. The numbers are getting worst since 2017, demonstrating the slowing growth of tourist arrivals from 40% to 10% in 2018. In January 2019, the only Icelandic airport operator Isavia had announced, that this year Keflavik airport, the main gate for foreign travelers in Iceland, expects fewer passengers than before. Decreasing is the first time factor since the world economic crisis in 2008 (read more about the reasons here).

Circle Air´s CEO Thorvaldur Ludvik Sigurjonsson is cautiously optimistic: „As a relative newcomer to the scene, we´ve seen steady growth in our carve of the market, especially in high-end tourist transfers and cruise ship passengers in the North of Iceland. Although years of hyper-growth in the South of Iceland may be behind us, we never saw such a bubble in the north, east or west and thus are quite undeterred.  Our bookings for 2019 are encouraging and show healthy growth. The growth in cruise ship passengers is estimated at close to 20% this year and the new direct flights to Akureyri from Rotterdam and many airports in the UK has also bolstered the growth numbers in the North of Iceland.  Let´s see what comes but we believe we have grounds for being positive“.

Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Share 0
Related Topics
  • AS355
  • Beechcraft King Air B200
  • Circle Air
  • DHC-6 Twin Otter
  • H125
  • H130
  • Heli-Austria
  • helicopter
  • Norlandair
  • OE-XAG
  • OE-XCF
  • OE-XDE
  • OE-XIE
  • OE-XME
  • OE-XOE
  • Roy Knaus
  • TF-CAB
  • TF-CAD
  • TF-NLB
  • TF-NLC
  • TF-NLD
  • tourism
  • Þórunn Sigurðardóttir
  • Þorvaldur Sigurjonsson
  • þyrlu
Previous Article
Keflavik airport terminal // Source: Isavia
  • Airports
  • Long read

Back to the future. Why Keflavik paxflow drops to the lowest in two years (updated 22.february)

  • Andrei Menshenin
  • February 8, 2019
View Post
Next Article
Icelandic Coast Guard Airbus H225LP (reg. TF-EIR) // Source: Flugblogg
  • Helicopters
  • Long read

What is the hidden upgrade for the Icelandic Coast Guard

  • Andrei Menshenin
  • March 22, 2019
View Post
Read more on Flugblogg
Niceair Airbus A319 reg 9H-XFW, operated by HiFly in Akureyri // Source: Niceair
View Post
  • Airlines
  • News

Why HiFly Malta might not be able to fly to the UK for Niceair

  • June 7, 2022
Icelandair Boeing 737 MAX 9 reg.TF-ICB during departure from Keflavik to Seattle on 22 February 2022 // Source: Jackson Jokerst (YouTube)
View Post
  • Airlines
  • Flight Safety
  • News

Icelandair Boeing 737 MAX 9 got tail strike during the departure from Keflavik, source revealed

  • June 6, 2022
Niceair Airbus A319 reg. 9H-XFW, operated by HiFly, after ferry flight in Akureyri // Source: Akureyri airport
View Post
  • Airlines
  • News

Niceair’s schedule was disrupted on the second day of flights due to a misunderstanding with London’s airport

  • June 3, 2022
Air Canada Boeing 737 MAX 8 reg. C-FSIQ in Keflavik Airport // Source: Isavia
View Post
  • Airlines
  • Airports
  • News

Air Canada comes back with summer flights to Keflavik

  • June 3, 2022
Niceair Airbus A319 "Súlur" reg. 9H-XFW, operated by HiFly Malta, after repainting in Maastricht // Source: Björn Van Velpen (Planespotters.net)
View Post
  • Airlines
  • News

The first plane for Niceair is getting the livery

  • May 22, 2022
ex-TUI Airways Boeing 767-300 reg. N28883 (ex-G-OBYH) in Singapore before conversion to freighter for Icelandair Cargo // Source: Icelandair Cargo
View Post
  • Airlines
  • News

Icelandair Cargo adds the first Boeing 767-300 to their fleet

  • May 4, 2022
Screenshot from Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 of Airbus A320neo in Niceair livery // Source: Thorvaldur Sigurjonsson's page on Facebook
View Post
  • Airlines
  • Long read

Why Niceair is not an airline and how Akureyri will benefit from it

  • March 21, 2022
Play airline's first A320neo reg. TF-PPA with new livery // Source: Radim Koblizka (Jetphotos.com)
View Post
  • Airlines
  • News

The first A320neo of Play airline got the livery

  • February 16, 2022

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Flugblogg on Facebook
Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

Flugblogg

6 hours ago

Flugblogg

Photos from Vélflugfélag Akureyrar's post ... See MoreSee Less

  • Likes: 4
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Flugblogg

14 hours ago

Flugblogg

Welcome TF-PPD! ❤️Yesterday our sixth aircraft, this gorgeous Airbus A320neo, landed at Keflavík International Airport.It will begin flying with our passengers next week. Frankly, we can't wait! 🥳 ... See MoreSee Less

  • Likes: 13
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Flugblogg

1 day ago

Flugblogg

The newest Boeing 737 MAX 8 #tficl has arrived in Keflavik #bikf from Boeing factory #KBIF in the night.Lukasz Bednarski met her on the apron ... See MoreSee Less

The newest Boeing 737 MAX 8 #TFICL has arrived in Keflavik #BIKF from Boeing factory #KBIF in the night.

Lukasz Bednarski met her on the apron
  • Likes: 34
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 2

Comment on Facebook

Hafa þær er ekki venjulega komið fullmálaðar?

Load more
Subscribe to be informed

All copyrights are reserved. Partial copying of materials, video or audio is allowed only with the mentioning of the source: Flugblogg.is
With all inquiries write us to
inboxflugblogg @gmail.com

Flugblogg
Aviation blog with reviews of Icelandic aviation trends, interviews with aviators, aviation analysts and reports on general aviation. Here you will find reviews of the flights of Icelandic airlines, planes, helicopters, routes and airports.

Input your search keywords and press Enter.