DENMARK. Copenhagen Airport will merge domestic and international traffic in terminals 2 and 3 from 2015 – a move that should have a positive spin-off for retailers at the airport’s two main terminals.
Some 1.5 million Danish domestic passengers will move when key carriers SAS and Norwegian switch domestic services from Terminal 1. T1 will then be converted to a pier and closed for domestic use.
SAS and Norwegian account for close to 85% of domestic traffic in Denmark. The decision to convert T1 is part of the new four-year charges agreement between the airlines and Copenhagen Airport.
Airport CEO Thomas Woldbye said: “The travellers and the provincial airports have had a major wish of enhancing facilities for domestic traffic at Copenhagen Airport, thereby tying Denmark even more together. That’s what we are doing now. With the merger, it will be even easier to transfer to international flights at Copenhagen Airport.
“In that way, it strengthens the international accessibility to all of Denmark that we have a competitive international airport in the capital region that can offer 155 direct routes to destinations in Europe and the rest of the world.”
“With the merger of domestic travel into the international terminals, SAS will be spearheading a simpler and improved travel experience. It really makes sense to consolidate SAS services at the airport, thereby offering all our travellers the same good facilities and services,” said SAS COO Flemming Jensen.
“There are many benefits of having all SAS operations in the same terminal. SAS customers who use the airport to travel via Copenhagen Airport to international destinations will experience shorter waiting times and much shorter walking distances. And the domestic travellers will benefit from being closer to the Metro and trains that are located right by the arrivals terminal. To SAS, the change will also allow us to increase our productivity.”
Norwegian Head of Information Johan Bisgaard Larsen noted: “Norwegian is working hard to make our product as simple and flexible as possible for our passengers and with the merger we have taken yet another step. It will allow us to consolidate our traffic, resulting in a better utilisation of our aircraft, lower costs and shorter turnaround times. Efficient operations ultimately mean that we can continue to offer the passengers lower fares.”
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Thomas Woldbye: Consumer service for Danish passengers improved as it will be “easier to transfer to international flights” at Copenhagen Airport |
