Nordica (airline)

Nordica, legally incorporated as Nordic Aviation Group AS, is the state-owned Estonian flag carrier headquartered in Tallinn,[8] and based at Tallinn Airport. It operates scheduled flights as well as on wetlease contracts on behalf of other airlines.

For other uses, see Nordica.

Nordica
IATA ICAO Callsign
EE EST REVAL
Founded25 September 2015
Commenced operations8 November 2015
HubsTallinn Airport
Frequent-flyer programMiles & More (via LOT Polish Airlines)
SubsidiariesRegional Jet OÜ dba xfly
Fleet size20
Parent companyNordic Aviation Group AS
Government of Estonia
HeadquartersTallinn, Estonia
Key people
  • Erki Urva (CEO)
Revenue €83 million (2017)
Profit €0.9 million (2017)
Employees141[1][2][3]
Websiteflynordica.com
Notes
a. Although the subsidiary Regional Jet has an air operator's certificate, Nordica regular flights currently use the airline codes of LOT, except for flights to Russia.[4][5][6][7]

History
A Nordica ATR 72-600

The company was founded on 25 September 2015 by the decision of the Estonian Government,[9] following the bankruptcy and liquidation of the previous national carrier, Estonian Air. It reuses the IATA code (EE) and callsign (REVAL) of Aero Airlines, which itself ceased operations early 2008. Operations started on 8 November 2015. Its first flight left Tallinn for Amsterdam on 8 November 2015, the first flight with Estonian service on the same route was on 20 January 2016.

On 30 March 2016, the new brand name Nordica was announced.[10][11][12] Erik Sakkov, previous board member of the company, explained the airline's naming with Estonia's alignment with Northern Europe and with country's leaders wish to reflect it in the name of the national carrier. He also noted that Nordica is logical follow-up to its previous name, Nordic Aviation Group.[13]

In the first year, Slovenian Adria Airways operated most of Nordica's flights while Nordica built up its fleet and crew. 19 November 2016 Nordica entered into a strategic partnership with LOT Polish Airlines, using the latter's commercial platform, ticketing system and flight code.[14] Since most of the flights are marketed by LOT Polish Airlines, which owns 49% of the shares and is a member of Star Alliance,[15] Nordica also carries LOT's flight codes and callsign on most of its flights.

Through its subsidiary Regional Jet in a partnership with Scandinavian Airlines, Regional Jet operates six ATR72-600s between Scandinavian and other Northern European destinations.[16]

In March 2018, Nordica opened a base at Groningen Airport Eelde, in the north of the Netherlands. The base served four routes: to Copenhagen and Munich throughout the year and Ibiza and Nice in the summer. In November 2018, Nordica announced it would shut down eight of its routes from Tallinn Airport effective from the summer schedule 2019.[17] Additionally, the carrier closed its base in Groningen by 29 December 2018.[18]

In June 2019, Nordica announced it would terminate all remaining scheduled operations from its home base in Tallinn as well.[19] While few key routes will be taken over by its partner LOT Polish Airlines, Nordica will focus its services on leasing operations for other airlines.[20]

In February 2020, Regional Jet announced it is rebranded as Xfly. Furthermore, an additional seven Embraer 190/195 will be leased to expand operations.[21]

Destinations
Main article: List of Nordica destinations

As of October 2017, Nordica served several cities mainly throughout Central, Northern and Western Europe.[22]

Codeshare agreements

Fleet
A Nordica Bombardier CRJ900 departing Warsaw Chopin Airport

As of November 2019, the Nordica fleet consists of the following aircraft:[24]

Nordica fleet
Aircraft In service Orders Passengers Notes
P Y Total
ATR 72-600 8 1 — 70 70 6 operated for Scandinavian Airlines[16]
Bombardier CRJ700 2 — 4 66 70
Bombardier CRJ900 12 — 2 86 88 1 operated for LOT Polish Airlines
4 operated for Scandinavian Airlines
2 88 90
Total 22 1

References
  1. "Aktsiaselts Nordic Aviation Group". teatmik.ee. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  2. "Regional Jet OÜ". teatmik.ee. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  3. "Nordic Aviation Advisory OÜ". teatmik.ee. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  4. "Regional Jet AOC" (PDF). Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  5. "Nordica is spreading its wings - our new strategic partner is LOT Polish Airlines". nordica.ee. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  6. "IATA IOSA EE". Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  7. ERR (15 May 2017). "Passengers unable to book Nordica flights to Saint Peterburg online". ERR. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  8. "Contacts". Nordica. Retrieved 24 June 2019. Company details Name: Nordic Aviation Group AS Adress [sic]: Lennujaama tee 13, 11101 Tallinn, Estonia
  9. "Nordic Aviation Group takes over Estonian Air routes". Eesti Rahvusringhääling. 7 November 2015.
  10. "Ettevõttest". Nordic Aviation Group. Archived from the original on 7 April 2016.
  11. Dron, Alan (11 March 2016). "Estonia's Nordic Aviation rebrands as Nordica". Air Transport World.
  12. Tubalkain, Marge (28 March 2016). "Nordica: oleme kriitikast üllatunud". Postimees.
  13. Nordica - the story behind the new name of the airline
  14. "Estonian Nordica enters into strategic partnership with Polish LOT". 4 November 2016.
  15. "Star Alliance". nordica.ee. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  16. "Regional Jet OÜ takes over ATR production for SAS". Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  17. "Nordica to shut down 8 routes from Tallinn next summer". Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  18. luchtvaartnieuws.nl - Vertrek Nordica flinke domper voor Groningen Airport Eelde 3 December 2018
  19. majandus24.postimees.ee - Nordica lõpetab oma nime alt lendamise ja sulgeb veel viis liini (Estonian) 21 June 2019
  20. aerotelegraph.com
  21. news.err.ee - Regional Jet changes name to Xfly, to lease seven new aircraft
  22. "Where we fly". nordica.ee. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  23. Liu, Jim (15 June 2018). "TAP Air Portugal / Nordica begins codeshare partnership from June 2018". Routesonline. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  24. "ECAA Aircraft Register". Retrieved 28 October 2018.

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