Air Greenland has unveiled the first images of its brand new fully-painted Airbus A330-800neo – and it’s stunning. The carrier released the photos on Wednesday via its Instagram account @air_greenland_official. Airbus also shared the images via the company’s official Twitter account.
Greenland’s national airline placed the Airbus widebody order in 2019. After slowdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, delivery is tentatively set for sometime in late 2022, with revenue service beginning in early 2023. The $260 million Airbus A330-800neo will be Air Greenland’s first-ever purchase of a brand new aircraft.
The aircraft, named Tuukkaq (Inuit for harpoon tip), will replace Air Greenland’s sole A330-200. Originally delivered to Belgian airline Sabena in 1998, Air Greenland acquired the plane in 2002. It has utilized the A330-200 for long-haul flights to and from Copenhagen, Denmark (CPH). Greenland is its own country, but also an autonomous territory that is part of Denmark.
The airline served the United States with a Boeing 757-200 for a short stint during the 2007 summer season. Unfortunately, Air Greenland announced they would drop the route from Kangerlussuaq (SFJ) to Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) before the 2008 summer season began.
Why Air Greenland Chose the A330-800neo
Sustainability is one of the driving factors behind the decision to purchase the A330neo. Compared to the A330-200, the new A330neo will be significantly more fuel efficient and emit at least 25 percent less CO2 per seat, according to Air Greenland. It will also be able to utilize sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), a biofuel made with an alternative feedstock (the raw material used in fuel production) to crude oil.
Tuukkaq will feature 305 seats, including 42 in its business class cabin and 263 in economy – a nearly 10 percent increase in seating capacity over the 278-seat A330-200. Every seat will feature the latest in in-flight entertainment technology.
The Airbus A330-800neo is powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines and features a larger wing with ‘Sharklets,’ similar to the A350.
Air Greenland Joins a Unique Club
Surprisingly few orders have been placed for the A330-800neo. Air Greenland joins just three other airlines (Garuda Indonesia, Kuwait Airways, and Uganda Airlines) that have either ordered or taken delivery of the aircraft. Only Kuwait Airlines and Uganda Airlines currently have the type in service.
The A330-800neo has a range of 9,300 miles, which is more than sufficient for the 4.5 hour jaunt to Copenhagen. There are currently no plans for Air Greenland to use the aircraft for service to North America, though the range would also be more than sufficient for the 5.5 hour flight to New York City. As of August 2022, Air Greenland’s only international routes are to Copenhagen and Reykjavik-Keflavik, Iceland (KEF).
Greenland’s Aviation Challenges
Greenland’s unique – and often challenging – geography and climate create many hazards for aviation. In fact, only Kangerlussuaq (SFJ) and Narsarsuaq (UAK) – both originally constructed as U.S. Air Force bases during World War II – have runways long enough to accept commercial jetliners.
With a runway length of 9,219 feet, Kangerlussuaq serves as the primary hub for Air Greenland. Passengers wishing to visit Nuuk, Greenland’s capital city, must connect via Kangerlussuaq. Nuuk Airport (GOH) is served by Air Greenland’s seven 37-passenger Dash 8-200s, and various types of helicopters. The carrier also operates a Beechcraft B200 King Air as an air ambulance.
Will it Get Any Easier to Fly to Greenland?
Much like its eastern island neighbor Iceland, Greenland is experiencing an increase in tourism – albeit on a much smaller scale. Greenlandic officials hope to capitalize on tourism by welcoming more people to the world’s largest island. As such, the country’s aviation infrastructure is undergoing modernization.
In 2020, Greenlandic officials announced a project to extend runways at Nuuk and Ilulissat (JAV). Once the projects – which are now underway – are completed, both airports will feature 7,200’ runways. This length is more than sufficient to open up these airports to larger aircraft like the A330-800neo.
Could we one day be able to fly directly from the United States to Greenland without stopping in Denmark or Iceland? With a visit to Greenland at the top of this author’s bucket list, I certainly hope the answer to that question is yes.
