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There , the airline has virtually no competition on short and essential routes , which would not be commercially viable . The remaining PSO destinations are in western Norway , where Widerøe connects several small villages by the fjords to Oslo and Bergen .
In recent years , Widerøe made a name for itself for a fleet life extension program that keeps its aircraft flying longer than originally planned . The airline works closely with De Havilland , under the eye of Canadian and Norwegian aviation authorities . The aging Dash 8 fleet requires special attention and expertise , which Widerøe has developed over the years .
ON BOARD THE E190-E2 VS . THE DASH 8-100
In June , I had the pleasure of flying both of the aircraft types in Widerøe ’ s fleet . And the experience could not have
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been more different . On my way to Bodø , Norway ( BOO ), I had the chance to fly on board LN-WEC , the third Embraer E190-E2 to join Widerøe ’ s fleet . Taking advantage of the airline ’ s international network , I reached Norway from Brussels .
Widerøe flies twice a week from Charleroi , Belgium ( CRL ) to Bergen , Norway ( BGO ). CRL can be easily reached by train from France , the Netherlands , and even the UK . The checkin opened 2:30 hours before takeoff but , due to local handling issues , we only received our boarding passes 90 minutes before the flight .
Thankfully , security was fast enough , and I was soon waiting for the Embraer E190-E2 . We boarded and took off on time , flying over Belgium and the Netherlands before reaching Bergen . On this flight , the load factor was quite high , close to 90 %. The cabin was configured
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in Embraer ’ s traditional 2-2 layout , and legroom was fine for such a short hop . The airline offers complimentary tea and coffee on all its international flights , and has other drinks , snacks , and meals available for purchase . On top of that , Wi- Fi entertainment was available , and personal devices could be charged using the universal power outlets .
We landed in Bergen after a scenic approach over the fjords . Overall , this was a comfortable and smooth ride across the North Sea , similar to what you would expect and experience on board any short international flight in Europe .
Once in Bergen , I deboarded , cleared security again and walked through the new departure hall . I returned to the same aircraft after unexpectedly rushing through the terminal . The flight to Bodø was via Trondheim ( TRD ). As it was cloudy for the
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4 Widerøe ’ s Dash 8-400 approaching Bodø in front of some snowy mountains . During the approach , passengers can enjoy some great views of the Norwegian coastline . |
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