NorthAir

NorthAir

IATA ICAO Callsign NA NOR NORTH
Founded	5 February, 1954 (as Surrowese Civil Aviation Service)
Commenced operations	1 April, 1975 (as NorthAir)
Hubs	Surrow International Airport
Secondary hubs	Tulaktarvik International Airport
Subsidiaries	NorthAir Aurora NorthAir Cargo
Fleet size	TBD
Destinations	TBC
Headquarters	Gateway, Surrow
Key people	Andrew Bishop (Chairman) Thomas Nielsen (CEO)

NorthAir is the Surrowese flag carrier, based at Surrow International Airport in Gateway. Founded in 1954 by the Surrowese government, as the Surrowese Civil Aviation Service (SCAS) to serve remote communities in Surrow, the SCAS expanded to operate internationally, primarily in Maurceania Major, and in 1975 adopted its current name.

Today, NorthAir remains Surrow's sole airline, in part due to Surrow having a tiny population, and its remote location. Despite some efforts to privatise the airline, the Surrowese government remains the primary owner of NorthAir.

History

Surrowese Civil Aviation Service

SCAS logo, 1954-1975

Following the discovery of palladium near Tulaktarvik in 1951, it became clear to the Surrowese government that an airline would be essential to serve communities on Great Island, because unlike Holcot Island, communities on Great Island were small in population, very sparsely populated, and year-round ferry service is difficult to manage, particularly in the far northern communities such as Arvittiavak and Desolation Reed.

Thus, on 5 February, 1954, the Surrowese government passed legislation to establish the Surrowese Civil Aviation Service with its primary focus being to connect communities on Great Island to an airport near Holcot Inlet, with its secondary focus being to connect Surrow to the northern regions of Maurceania Major.

With its establishment, the SCAS began to source planes. Conveniently, there was an airfield at Gateway that had been built for the Second Great War, so in May 1954, the Surrowese government designated the airfield as Surrow International Airport, and built a rudimentary terminal while construction began on a permanent terminal.

Services began on 29 September 1954, with a flight from Surrow International to Tulaktarvik. During the 1950s and early 1960s, SCAS only did flights to and from communities within Surrow, with no international flights of its own, as the Surrowese government of the time believed that operating international flights would lead to smaller rural communities being completely neglected.

However, in 1964, the SCAS began to operate international flights to (TBC) from Surrow International Airport. However, its international route network was largely confined to states adjoining Rowland Bay until the early 1970s, when under Surrowese President Isaac Rosenhain's government, the SCAS cut many routes to smaller communities in Surrow, and began investing in expanding its international route network. At the same time, the Surrowese government restructured the SCAS so that it would be organised akin to a corporation. Clement Timbrell was thus appointed as the SCAS' first chief executive officer.

Expansion

A NorthAir plane in TBD, 1995

On 1 April, 1975, the Surrowese Civil Aviation Service was renamed to NorthAir, as it was believed by CEO Clement Timbrell that the new name would "entice more tourists onto the airline," and increase the amount of visitors to Surrow.

That same year, Timbrell restructured the company so that all domestic flights, excluding the flight between Surrow International Airport and Tulaktarvik, would be part of a separate division. This division would keep the SCAS name, as Timbrell felt that it would effectively distinguish NorthAir's international operations from its domestic operations, and reduce the risk of "sending planes to places where they are not well suited to."

During the late 1970s, under Timbrell's leadership, NorthAir greatly expanded its route network, although it remained confined to Maurceania Major during this period of time. By 1980, NorthAir served fifteen international destinations, an increase from five in 1970, with NorthAir using a hub-and-spoke model where all flights were to Surrow International Airport.

In 1983, Timbrell further reorganised the airline, by separating cargo flights from the SCAS and establishing the cargo division, with it being called NorthAir Cargo. During the 1980s, as international traffic grew in importance, NorthAir became interested in establishing a route to Rythene, successfully doing so in 198?, and thus marking NorthAir's first intercontinental route.

In 1992, Clement Timbrell retired as CEO, and was succeeded by Billy Anderson as the CEO of NorthAir, with Anderson overseeing NorthAir increasing in profitability. In 1994, Anderson decided to establish a common brand identity for NorthAir, with all divisions adopting the NorthAir brand: thus, the SCAS was renamed to NorthAir Aurora in that year. Anderson justified it by saying that "many people have a misguided idea that NorthAir and the SCAS were not the same airline, and there have been stories of people not buying connecting tickets because they were under the impression that they were two separate airlines." With the advent of the internet, in 1998, NorthAir launched its website, which included the abiltiy to book a NorthAir flight online.

Modern era

NorthAir Aurora plane landing near Tulaktarvik, 2013

In 2001, CEO Billy Anderson was forced to resign, with many shareholders criticising Anderson for neglecting Surrow's domestic route networks. Thus, Anderson was succeeded as CEO by Brandon Gesner. Gesner's primary focus was to improve NorthAir Aurora's aging fleet, particularly as it became harder and harder to find parts for its fleet of turboprop planes, most of which dated back to the 1960s and early 1970s.

To help facilitate this process, Gesner orchestrated a fleet modernisation program, with NorthAir replacing its entire fleet of turboprop planes with TBDs, beginning in 2003, as Gesner judged that these planes were "well suited to operating in Breuvician conditions" and in servicing the small and remote communities depending on air service. This modernisation process was completed by 2006, with the new planes helping improve the quality and frequency of service.

Despite Gesner's focus on domestic services, Gesner also sought to strengthen NorthAir's international route network: in 2005, NorthAir inaugurated an international service from Tulaktarvik to TBD, making Tulaktarvik the second international airport in Surrow after Surrow International Airport at Gateway. As well, NorthAir increased service frequency to its major markets, particularly along the northern Maurceania Major nations.

In 2010, under President Damian Shirley's administration, the Surrowese government sold 45% of its stake in NorthAir to TBD, with Shirley defending the sale as being in the "long-term interests of both the people of Surrow, and of NorthAir." To allay concerns that the sale would lead to NorthAir ceasing its short-haul flights in Surrow, the government promised that NorthAir will not be permitted to abandon its public service obligation to remote communities across the Surrowese archipelago.

In 2015, Brandon Gesner retired as CEO, and was succeeded by Thomas Nielsen. Under Nielsen's tenure as CEO of NorthAir, Nielsen oversaw a fleet modernisation program for NorthAir Cargo and for NorthAir's long-haul fleet, with a new branding being unveiled in 2017 across all of NorthAir to "rejuvenate the brand."

Services

Cabins

Outshore Class

Outshore Class cabin, 2012

The highest level of service offered on NorthAir long-haul flights is Outshore Class, which is the equivalent of business class on other airlines.

All seats in Outshore Class since 2007 are reverse herringbone seats, with in-flight entertainment provided to all Outshore Class passengers. They are arranged in a 1-1 or a 1-2-1 pattern, depending on the width of the aircraft.

Outshore Class passengers receive "traditional and gourmet Surrowese food," with each long-haul flight requiring at least one meal service, with up to three depending on the distance that the long-haul flight covered. Alongside meal services, Outshore Class passengers also receive complementary snacks, traditionally sea lettuce.

Inshore Class

Inshore Class cabin on a NorthAir Aurora flight, 2003

The lowest level of service offered on NorthAir long-haul flights, and the only level of service offered on NorthAir Aurora is Inshore Class, which is the equivalent of economy class on other airlines.

On long-haul flights, Inshore Class passengers receive in-flight entertainment, while on NorthAir Aurora flights, passengers do not receive in-flight entertainment.

On long-haul flights, meals are provided to Inshore Class passengers. However, unlike Outshore Class, the meals offered are based more on Albrennian cuisine than Surrowese cuisine, as Albrennian foods are seen by NorthAir as being "substantially cheaper" and less expensive than traditional Surrowese cuisine. On NorthAir Aurora flights, meals are not provided, although complementary snacks are provided, traditionally sea lettuce.

Destinations

Domestic

Hub

Focus city

Seasonal service