Valkea Airlines

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Valkea Airlines Oyj
ValkeaAirlinesLogo.png
IATA ICAO Callsign
VK VKA VALKEA
Founded1935
Commenced operations1936
HubsKällälivi Vuotola Airport (VLV)
Frequent-flyer programVerdant Skies
AllianceBlueworld
Subsidiaries
  • Aurora Skyways
  • Diamond Airways
Parent companyValkea Airlines Group
Traded asVLSE: VKAIR
HeadquartersKällälivi, Valkea
Key people
  • Emilia Tarvainen

President and CEO

  • Simo Haavisto

Chief Financial Officer

  • Väinämö Gallen

Director of Corporate Strategy

RevenueIncrease $40.06 billion (2019)
Operating incomeDecrease $2.07 billion (2019)
Net incomeDecrease $1.15 billion (2019)
Employees134,290 (2019)
Websitevalkeaairlines.com

Valkea Airlines Oyj, commonly known as Valkea Airlines, is the flag carrier of Valkea and its largest airline. Its global headquarters is located in Källälivi, Valkea, with its global hub located at Källälivi Vuotola Airport. Valkea Airlines serves multiple international and domestic flights and operates a mix of Airbus and Boeing aircraft. It is one of the founding members of Blueworld, a major Astyrian airline alliance.

Valkea Airlines also owns subsidiary passenger airlines such as Aurora Skyways and Diamond Airways, as well as regional carrier Valkea AirExpress and freight company Valkea AirCargo.

History

Founding and early years (1930s-1940s)

Valkea Air Lines was formed in 1935 with the merger of the Valkean Air Transport Company, National Air Line Company, and Itämaa Air Line Company. This merger was done at the behest of the Valkean government to consolidate the country's fledgling airline industry into a single company and provide subsidies more efficiently. Its first passenger air services were carried over from their former component companies, forming a domestic network that connected the cities of Källälivi, Novika, and Mustakivi. The newly formed airline eventually grew its domestic network to reach other major cities such as Dagsmark, Osterlund, and Rintalinna.

Its first international route was created in 1939, flying passengers from Källälivi to Rõlva in Ostrothia with stopovers in Osterlund and Brantevik. This quickly followed with routes to cities in Caledonia and Nynorsk Ostlijord. However, due to the outbreak of the 2nd Great Astyrian War, Valkea Air Lines was unable to start flights outside of Vinstria.

Expansion (1950s-1970s)

Privatization (1980s-1990s)

Valkea Airlines Group (1990s-)

Beginning in 1991, Valkea Airlines underwent a period of restructuring that saw the creation of two new subsidiary companies: Valkea AirCargo and Valkea AirExpress. In 1993, the company was formally reorganized as the Valkea Airlines Group. On 26 March 1999, Valkea Airlines became a founding member of the Blueworld airline alliance.

Valkea Airlines Group acquired a 24.5% stake in low-cost carrier Aurora Skyways in 1996. This was increased to 33.3% in 1999 and 42.5% in 2003. In October 2005, Valkea Airlines acquired the remainder of Aurora Skyways.

In 2018, Valkea Airlines Group acquired 80% of Diamond Airways for $4.23 billion.

Codeshare agreements

Valkea Airlines has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:

BW Blueworld member.

VA Part of Valkea Airlines Group.

Fleet

Marketing

Services

Frequent-flyer program

Valkea Airlines' frequent-flyer program is called Verdant Skies. Members may earn points on Valkea Airlines flights as well as on Blueworld partner flights.

Incidents and accidents