Karair
Encyclopedia
Karair was an airline
from Finland
. Initially having offered scheduled passenger flights, the company became a subsidiary of Finnair
, mainly operating on holiday charter routes.
Originally called Karhumäki Airways, the company was founded in 1950 by Veljekset Karhumäki Oy
, an aircraft manufacturer owned by Niilo and Valto Karhumäki
. Initially operating on domestic routes with a fleet of four Douglas DC-3
and two Convair CV-440 Metropolitan
airliners, the first international flight (to Stockholm
) took place in 1951, which was followed by holiday flights to Málaga
.
In 1957, the airline was rebranded as Kar-Air. A Swedish subsidiary was established, which from 1961 onwards operated a single Douglas DC-6
on chartered flights to Southern Europe. In 1962, Aero O/Y acquired a 27 percent stake in Kar-Air, which was increased to 51 percent over the following years, since Kar-Air had gotten into financial difficulties when its two Metropolitans were damaged in hard landings and had to be taken out of service for a while in 1963. The new majority owner demanded Kar-Air to cease domestic flying, concentrating on charter flights (mainly to the Mediterranean
) instead. For this purpose, Aero O/Y handed over to of its own DC-6 aircraft, which Kar-Air also used for multiple stopover round-the-world flights.
The DC-6s remained the backbone of the Kar-Air passenger fleet until 1972, when the jet age
was joined with the introduction of the 189-seat Douglas DC-8
. One DC-6 was re-configured for cargo transport purposes and stayed with the airline until 1980, when cargo flights were taken over by Finnair (as Aero O/Y was named by then). In the same year, the airline underwent another rebranding, being known as Karair, also styled KarAir henceforth. Over the following years, Karair reduced its fleet, because charter contracts with Finnair had been terminated.
In 1986, two Airbus A300
wide-body airliners joined the Karair fleet, which again were leased from Finnair and deployed on holiday charter flights. Finnair's plans with Karair changed from 1989, when the first of six ATR 72
short-haul turboprop
aircraft was added to the fleet, and the A300s in turn left the following year. From then, scheduled domestic passenger flights on behalf of Finnair were operated.
In 1990, Finnair acquired further shares to hold a total of 90 percent of the Karair stake, which was further increased to 97.6 percent in 1993. These period saw financial problems because of the recession of the early 1990s, which led to Finnair announcing a full take-over of Karair in December 1995. Subsequently, the Karair fleet and the airline's operations were merged into Finnair, a move which was completed in September 1996. In 2002, a court deemed the take-over illegal, and Finnair was forced to salvage the remaining Karair stocks.
had not yet acquired the majority stake), Kar-Air operated scheduled flights to the following destinations, with further ones accessible on co-operative flights of SAS and Aero O/Y:
Finland
Luxemburg
Spain
Sweden
Kar-Air was not only operating passenger and cargo services, but until also ore
-finding flights using a Lockheed Lodestar
(until 1972), a Douglas DC-3
(1972-1980), and after that a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
.
(registered
OH-KOA) crashed near Pudasjärvi
in heavy icing
conditions during a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Oulu
to Kuusamo
because of an engine failure. The 15 passengers and three crew survived the accident.
s) is currently on display at the Finnish Aviation Museum
in Vantaa
. Another former Karair DC-3 is exhibited at Munich Airport, though painted in the colors of Swissair
.
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
from Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. Initially having offered scheduled passenger flights, the company became a subsidiary of Finnair
Finnair
Finnair Plc is the flag carrier and largest airline of Finland, with its headquarters on the grounds of Helsinki Airport in Vantaa, Finland, and its main hub at Helsinki Airport. Finnair and its subsidiaries dominate both the domestic and international air travel markets in Finland. The largest...
, mainly operating on holiday charter routes.
History
Osakeyhtiö
Osakeyhtiö, literally a "stock company", is the Finnish equivalent of a limited company or Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung . It is abbreviated to Oy and is used either before or after the company's name, sometimes with the addition of the Finland-Swedish equivalent Ab...
, an aircraft manufacturer owned by Niilo and Valto Karhumäki
Karhumäki brothers
Niilo and Valto Karhumäki, also known as the Karhumäki brothers , were Finnish aviation pioneers, aircraft manufacturers and airline founders....
. Initially operating on domestic routes with a fleet of four Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
and two Convair CV-440 Metropolitan
Convair 240
The Convair CV-240 was an American airliner produced by Convair from 1947 to 1954, initially as a possible replacement of the ubiquitous Douglas DC-3. While featuring a more modern design, the 240 series was able to make some inroads as a commercial airliner and also had a long development cycle...
airliners, the first international flight (to Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
) took place in 1951, which was followed by holiday flights to Málaga
Málaga
Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
.
In 1957, the airline was rebranded as Kar-Air. A Swedish subsidiary was established, which from 1961 onwards operated a single Douglas DC-6
Douglas DC-6
The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with the Lockheed Constellation in the long-range...
on chartered flights to Southern Europe. In 1962, Aero O/Y acquired a 27 percent stake in Kar-Air, which was increased to 51 percent over the following years, since Kar-Air had gotten into financial difficulties when its two Metropolitans were damaged in hard landings and had to be taken out of service for a while in 1963. The new majority owner demanded Kar-Air to cease domestic flying, concentrating on charter flights (mainly to the Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
) instead. For this purpose, Aero O/Y handed over to of its own DC-6 aircraft, which Kar-Air also used for multiple stopover round-the-world flights.
Jet age
The Jet Age is a period of history defined by the social change brought about by the advent of large aircraft powered by turbine engines. These aircraft are able to fly much higher, faster, and farther than older piston-powered propliners, making transcontinental and inter-continental travel...
was joined with the introduction of the 189-seat Douglas DC-8
Douglas DC-8
The Douglas DC-8 is a four-engined narrow-body passenger commercial jet airliner, manufactured from 1958 to 1972 by the Douglas Aircraft Company...
. One DC-6 was re-configured for cargo transport purposes and stayed with the airline until 1980, when cargo flights were taken over by Finnair (as Aero O/Y was named by then). In the same year, the airline underwent another rebranding, being known as Karair, also styled KarAir henceforth. Over the following years, Karair reduced its fleet, because charter contracts with Finnair had been terminated.
In 1986, two Airbus A300
Airbus A300
The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS...
wide-body airliners joined the Karair fleet, which again were leased from Finnair and deployed on holiday charter flights. Finnair's plans with Karair changed from 1989, when the first of six ATR 72
ATR 72
The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop short-haul regional airliner built by the French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR. ATR and Airbus are both built in Toulouse, and share resources and technology...
short-haul turboprop
Turboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
aircraft was added to the fleet, and the A300s in turn left the following year. From then, scheduled domestic passenger flights on behalf of Finnair were operated.
In 1990, Finnair acquired further shares to hold a total of 90 percent of the Karair stake, which was further increased to 97.6 percent in 1993. These period saw financial problems because of the recession of the early 1990s, which led to Finnair announcing a full take-over of Karair in December 1995. Subsequently, the Karair fleet and the airline's operations were merged into Finnair, a move which was completed in September 1996. In 2002, a court deemed the take-over illegal, and Finnair was forced to salvage the remaining Karair stocks.
Destinations
Between 1950 and 1963 (when Aero O/YFinnair
Finnair Plc is the flag carrier and largest airline of Finland, with its headquarters on the grounds of Helsinki Airport in Vantaa, Finland, and its main hub at Helsinki Airport. Finnair and its subsidiaries dominate both the domestic and international air travel markets in Finland. The largest...
had not yet acquired the majority stake), Kar-Air operated scheduled flights to the following destinations, with further ones accessible on co-operative flights of SAS and Aero O/Y:
Finland
- HelsinkiHelsinkiHelsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
- Helsinki AirportHelsinki AirportHelsinki Airport or Helsinki-Vantaa Airport is the main international airport of the Helsinki metropolitan region and the whole of Finland. It is located in Vantaa, Finland, about west of Tikkurila, the centre of Vantaa, and north of Helsinki city centre...
(hubAirline hubAn airline hub is an airport that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination. It is part of a hub and spoke model, where travelers moving between airports not served by direct flights change planes en route to their destinations...
) - JoensuuJoensuuJoensuu is a city and municipality in North Karelia in eastern Finland. It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of North Karelia region. It was founded in 1848...
- Joensuu AirportJoensuu AirportJoensuu Airport is an airport in Liperi, Finland, about northwest of Joensuu city centre.-Airlines and destinations:-Statistics:-Weather station:... - KauhavaKauhavaKauhava is a town and municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Southern Ostrobothnia region, northwest of Helsinki and by the main railway from Helsinki to Oulu. The town has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
- Kauhava AirportKauhava AirportKauhava Airport is a military airport located in Kauhava, Finland, north of Kauhava town centre. Training Air Wing of the Finnish Air Force is based at the airport.- External links :*... - KokkolaKokkolaKokkola is a town and municipality of Finland.The town is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Central Ostrobothnia region. The town has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is...
- Kokkola-Pietarsaari Airport - LappeenrantaLappeenrantaLappeenranta is a city and municipality that resides on the shore of the lake Saimaa in South-Eastern Finland, about from the Russian border. It belongs to the region of South Karelia. With approximately inhabitants Lappeenranta is the largest city in Finland...
- Lappeenranta AirportLappeenranta AirportLappeenranta Airport is an international airport in Lappeenranta, Finland. In 2010, approximately 61,000 passengers used the airport. Opened in 1918, Lappeenranta Airport is Finland's oldest still operating airport... - TampereTampereTampere is a city in southern Finland. It is the most populous inland city in any of the Nordic countries. The city has a population of , growing to approximately 300,000 people in the conurbation and over 340,000 in the metropolitan area. Tampere is the third most-populous municipality in...
- Tampere-Pirkkala AirportTampere-Pirkkala AirportTampere-Pirkkala Airport is located in Pirkkala, south-west of Tampere city centre. The airport is the third busiest airport in Finland, as measured by the number of passengers , and the second busiest airport in Finland, as measured by the number of international passengers... - VaasaVaasaVaasa is a city on the west coast of Finland. It received its charter in 1606, during the reign of Charles IX of Sweden and is named after the Royal House of Vasa...
- Vaasa AirportVaasa AirportVaasa Airport is located in Vaasa, Finland, about south-east of Vaasa city centre. It is the 6th biggest airport in Finland in terms of passengers. In 2010, about 288,000 passengers traveled via the airport. In 2005, and again in 2008, Vaasa Airport was chosen as the Airport of the Year in...
Luxemburg
- LuxembourgLuxembourgLuxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
- Findel Airport
Spain
- BarcelonaBarcelonaBarcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
- Barcelona El Prat Airport - MálagaMálagaMálaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
- Málaga AirportMálaga AirportMálaga Airport , also known as Malaga Costa Del Sol Airport and Pablo Ruiz Picasso Airport, is the fourth busiest airport in Spain after Madrid-Barajas, Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca. It is an important airport for Spanish tourism as it is the main international airport serving the Costa Del Sol.... - TenerifeTenerifeTenerife is the largest and most populous island of the seven Canary Islands, it is also the most populated island of Spain, with a land area of 2,034.38 km² and 906,854 inhabitants, 43% of the total population of the Canary Islands. About five million tourists visit Tenerife each year, the...
- Los Rodeos Airport
Sweden
- GothenburgGothenburgGothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
- Gothenburg City AirportGothenburg City AirportGothenburg City Airport or Göteborg City Airport , formerly known as Säve Flygplats, is Gothenburg's second international airport, located north-west from the centre of Gothenburg on the island of Hisingen, Bohuslän, Sweden. It is located within the borders of Gothenburg Municipality, hence its... - StockholmStockholmStockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
- Stockholm-Bromma AirportStockholm-Bromma AirportStockholm-Bromma Airport is an airport in Stockholm, Sweden. Stockholm-Bromma Airport is located west northwest of downtown Stockholm and is the closest to the city...
(focus city) - SundsvallSundsvall-External links:* - Official site from Nordisk Familjebok - Sundsvalls tourist information bureau. - The alternative guide to Sundsvall. - Blog with photos from Sundsvall....
- Sundsvall-Härnösand AirportSundsvall-Härnösand AirportSundsvall-Härnösand Airport or Midlanda Airport is located about 21 km north of Sundsvall and 32 km south of Härnösand, Sweden....
Kar-Air was not only operating passenger and cargo services, but until also ore
Ore
An ore is a type of rock that contains minerals with important elements including metals. The ores are extracted through mining; these are then refined to extract the valuable element....
-finding flights using a Lockheed Lodestar
Lockheed Lodestar
The Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar was a passenger transport aircraft of the World War II era.-Design and development:The prototype of the Lockheed Model 18, which first flew in 1939, was constructed from one of a batch of Lockheed Model 14 Super Electras which had been returned to the manufacturer by...
(until 1972), a Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
(1972-1980), and after that a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
The DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...
.
Fleet
Over the years, Karair operated the following aircraft types for its commercial flights:| Aircraft | Introduced | Retired |
|---|---|---|
| Airbus A300 Airbus A300 The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS... |
||
| ATR 72 ATR 72 The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop short-haul regional airliner built by the French-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR. ATR and Airbus are both built in Toulouse, and share resources and technology... |
||
| Convair CV-440 Convair 240 The Convair CV-240 was an American airliner produced by Convair from 1947 to 1954, initially as a possible replacement of the ubiquitous Douglas DC-3. While featuring a more modern design, the 240 series was able to make some inroads as a commercial airliner and also had a long development cycle... |
||
| de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter The DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC... |
||
| Douglas DC-3 Douglas DC-3 The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made... |
||
| Douglas DC-6 Douglas DC-6 The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with the Lockheed Constellation in the long-range... |
||
| Douglas DC-8 Douglas DC-8 The Douglas DC-8 is a four-engined narrow-body passenger commercial jet airliner, manufactured from 1958 to 1972 by the Douglas Aircraft Company... |
||
| Fokker F27 Friendship | ||
Accidents
On 5 February 1973, a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterDe Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
The DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...
(registered
Aircraft registration
An aircraft registration is a unique alphanumeric string that identifies a civil aircraft, in similar fashion to a licence plate on an automobile...
OH-KOA) crashed near Pudasjärvi
Pudasjärvi
Pudasjärvi is a town and a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Oulu and is part of the Northern Ostrobothnia region. The city has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is...
in heavy icing
Atmospheric icing
Atmospheric icing occurs when water droplets in the atmosphere freeze on objects they contact. This can be extremely dangerous to aircraft, as the built-up ice changes the aerodynamics of the flight surfaces, which can increase the risk of a subsequent stalling of the airfoil...
conditions during a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Oulu
Oulu
Oulu is a city and municipality of inhabitants in the region of Northern Ostrobothnia, in Finland. It is the most populous city in Northern Finland and the sixth most populous city in the country. It is one of the northernmost larger cities in the world....
to Kuusamo
Kuusamo
Kuusamo is a town and municipality in Finland. It is located in the Oulu province and is part of the Northern Ostrobothnia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is ....
because of an engine failure. The 15 passengers and three crew survived the accident.
Legacy
Two aircraft formerly owned by Karair (a Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar and one of the oldest surviving Douglas DC-3Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
s) is currently on display at the Finnish Aviation Museum
Finnish Aviation Museum
The Finnish Aviation Museum is a museum specialising in aircraft, located in Vantaa, Finland.-History:The museum was founded on 4 December 1969 by Ilmailumuseoyhdistys ry. The museum was placed next to the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport but received its own facilities in 1980...
in Vantaa
Vantaa
Vantaa is a city and municipality in Finland. Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo and Kauniainen make up the Helsinki Metropolitan Area.Vantaa, with its population of , is the fourth most populated city of Finland. The biggest airport in Finland, the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, is located there...
. Another former Karair DC-3 is exhibited at Munich Airport, though painted in the colors of Swissair
Swissair
Swissair AG was the former national airline of Switzerland.It was formed from a merger between Balair and Ad Astra Aero , in 1931...
.