Danish helicopter operator Bel Air to fly passenger traffic from Malmi Airport

19 October 2010

Bel Air's AgustaWestland 139 at its new home, the historic hangar at Helsinki-Malmi Airport. Photo: Samuli Sorvakko

The Danish helicopter operator Bel Air A/S has established its base and check-in counter at Malmi Airport. Bel Air's AgustaWestland 139 helicopter arrived at Malmi on Sunday 18 October.

In September, Bel Air won the bid for helicopter operations to M/V Solitaire which lays the Nord Stream gas pipeline to the Gulf of Finland. Owned by Allseas Group S.A., the 300-meter-long Solitaire is the world's largest pipelay vessel with a crew of 420 persons.

"We are proud to be selected as the helicopter operator to Allseas", said Bel Air's manager and pilot Susanne H. Lastein in September. "[Our] base will be Helsinki-Malmi Airport, which proudly stands for decades of aviation - one of the first ever international build airport in the world back in 1938. After several meetings in the Finnish capital - both with the Danish ambassy and others, we are proud to be based at Malmi. Its logistic place is central to our flights in the Gulf of Finland, and it will be a great pleasure to do international flights in and out of Malmi."

More information

Bel Air A/S
Stella Group
Solitaire