Novair

Nova Airlines AB, operating as Novair, is a Swedish airline headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden that operates on behalf of one of Sweden's largest travel agencies, Apollo, which is also the parent company. It operates charter flights mainly to the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands. In the past it also operated long-haul flights to destinations including Thailand, India, and Indonesia as well as the Caribbean. Its main base and hub of operations is Stockholm Arlanda Airport,[1] but the airline also operates from Oslo Airport, Copenhagen Airport, Gothenburg Landvetter Airport and Billund Airport. The airline is currently owned by the German corporation DER Touristik which is a part of the REWE Group, and employs approximately 70 pilots and 245 cabin crew to operate their current fleet of Airbus A321neo aircraft.[2]

Novair
IATA ICAO Callsign
N9 NVR NAVIGATOR
Founded1997
Operating basesStockholm–Arlanda
Fleet size2
Destinations17
Parent companyRewe Group
HeadquartersStockholm, Sweden
Key peopleAnders Fred (CEO)
Websitewww.novair.se

History

Novair was established and started operations in November 1997 with services from Stockholm to Phuket, Thailand and the Canary Islands of Spain on behalf of Apollo, a Swedish travel agency. In 1998, the airline began operating three more Lockheed L-1011 TriStar to destinations in the Far East and the Caribbean, and placed an order for three new Boeing 737-800NG to operate destinations in the Mediterranean and Canary Islands. The airline replaced the L-1011 TriStar with two Airbus A330-200 and leased one from Swissair.

A Novair Airbus A321 at Tenerife South Airport.

After the September 11 Attacks, Novair was forced to ground one of its Airbus A330-200 due to lack of demand, and leased out the aircraft to a Libyan company. In 2003, Novair took over the Cuban airline Cubana's flights from Cuba to destinations such as London, Madrid and Paris. The airline also replaced its Boeing fleet with new Airbus A321-200. After the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, Novair were the first Swedish airline to arrive with relief supplies and doctors and to evacuate tourists. Novair also briefly leased an aircraft to Air Madrid in 2006, however, due to their bankruptcy, the aircraft was returned and was instead leased to Kuwait Airways in 2007. When the aircraft was returned from Kuwait, it was parked in Zurich to be stored, thus ending all A330 operations.

In 2009, Novair became the first and only Scandinavian airline to undertake EU project SESAR, and also participated in the MINT-Project to fly "green approaches", also known as continuous descent approaches to reduce fuel burn and noise. Novair also leased an Airbus A330-200 from Orbest and from Air Europa, to be operated with a cockpit crew from the respective airline, and a Novair cabin crew. Between 2013 and 2014, Novair leased an Airbus A330-200 from Aer Lingus using the same crew composition, to operate their long-haul destinations. The airline also closes down its crew base at Gothenburg Landvetter Airport in March 2016.

The airline took delivery of two brand new Airbus A321neo aircraft in 2017. The airline originally ordered three aircraft, however, due to the closing of one of its hubs, it was reduced to two aircraft. The airline also operated an Airbus A320 aircraft from Titan Airways between 2016 and 2017 due to a delivery delay with their new aircraft. In 2019, the airline closed its crew base at Oslo Airport. All aircraft are placed at Stockholm Arlanda Airport.

Destinations
Main article: List of Novair destinations

Novair operates flights from Stockholm, Gothenburg, Oslo, Copenhagen, Billund and Oulu to charter destinations on behalf of Apollo. The destinations vary depending on season and include locations in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands and Egypt.

Fleet

As of April 2019, the Novair fleet consists of the following aircraft:[3][4]

A Novair A321neo at Stockholm Arlanda Airport.
Current Fleet
Aircraft In Service Orders Passengers Notes
Airbus A321neo 2 3 221
Total 2 3
    Historic Fleet
    Aircraft In Service Years Registry Notes
    Airbus A321 3 2004 – 2017 SE-RDN, SE-RDO, SE-RDP
    Airbus A320 1 2016 – 2017 G-POWI Leased from Titan Airways
    Airbus A330 2 2013 – 2015 EI-LAX, EI-DAA Leased from Aer Lingus
    Airbus A330 1 2010 – 2011 EC-KOM Leased from Air Europa
    Airbus A330 1 2007 – 2008 CS-TRA Leased from Orbest
    Airbus A330 2 2000 – 2007 SE-RBF, SE-RBG
    Boeing 737-800NG 3 1999 – 2005 SE-DVO, SE-DVR, SE-DVU
    Boeing 737-300 1 1999 ZK-NGE
    Lockheed L-1011 TriStar 4 1997 – 2000 SE-DVX, SE-DVF, SE-DVI, SE-DTC

      References
      1. "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 10 April 2007. p. 57.
      2. "About Novair" (in Swedish). novair. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
      3. "Novair's fleet" (in Swedish). novair. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
      4. "Novair Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net.
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