Hot dogs and high fives: Iqaluit celebrates launch of direct flights to Greenland
Crowd of about 200 gathers with officials at airport to celebrate the event
Passengers of the first flight from Nuuk, Greenland, to Iqaluit greet people at the Iqaluit airport on Wednesday. (Photo by Arty Sarkisian)
Canadian North and Air Greenland gave away two airplane models, three backpacks, four plane tickets and more than a thousand hot dogs Wednesday to celebrate the first direct flights between Iqaluit and Nuuk, Greenland.
“Today, we witness the new chapter in our relationship,” Erik Jensen, who leads the Siumut party in Greenland’s government, told the crowd of approximately 200 gathered for the celebration at the Iqaluit airport.
Air Greenland’s 37-seat Dash 8 aircraft touched down in Iqaluit around 3 p.m. and was greeted by hundreds of Nunavummiut holding flags of both Nunavut and Greenland.
“This is fantastic, I love it,” said Aaju Peter, a Greenlandic Inuit lawyer who lives in Iqaluit.
“The Inuit here showed up and the Greenlanders are telling me that they are feeling welcome. It’s very special.”
The event was attended by 10 Greenlandic representatives, including Nuuk Mayor Avaaraq Olsen and Air Greenland board chairperson Malik Hegelund Olsen.
Nunavut dignitaries included Premier P.J. Akeeagok, Deputy Premier Pamela Gross, Iqaluit Mayor Solomon Awa, and Shelly De Caria, president and CEO of Canadian North.
Until Oct. 23, two-hour direct flights between the capital cities of Nunavut and Greenland will be offered every Wednesday.
“It’s incredible,” Akeeagok said after the event. “This has been a long time coming. Couldn’t be any prouder to be here.”
Wednesday’s launch of the regular weekly flights comes nearly 10 years after the previous Air Greenland route was discontinued due to low ridership.
De Caria said she is sure demand has grown since then and she’s confident the flights will be feasible.
At the end of the ceremony, all the attendees were asked to gather together at the stage to take part in the video by Greenlandic influencer Qupanuk Olsen, who was among the passengers on the first flight to Nuuk.
Olsen ended the video with her standard sign off: “Life is amazing, Aqagu takuss’ (See you tomorrow.)”
Attendees posing for the video by a Greenlandic influencer Qupanuk Olsen after the celebration of the first Nuuk-Iqaluit flight on Wednesday. (Photo by Arty Sarkisian)
A bit tone deaf to bring Qupanuk Olsen for the event, since she was just in Israel for a tourism conference during the outrosities going on there.
There was , a tourism conference in the middle of a war ?
What does that have to do with the tone at this event?
What? Can I get more information, where can I find info about the conference? Why was she there :\
Search Sermitsiaq and Qupanuk and it will pop up.
Dear tone deaf, could it be that not everyone is playing the same purity contests you are?
Ok Nunatsiaq, we get it, there’s a new Iqaluit to Nuuk flight that started this week. At least 5 stories have clubbed your readers over the head with this news. Now maybe start reporting on something that is of interest to those who live outside of Iqaluit.
This air greenland flight is getting more coverage than the moon landing
BIG HYPE !!!!!
Back in 1969, they didn’t have internet then, we had just tv, radio and newspapers so there is more coverage now.
Passports are they required, what are the export/import taxes?
Wow! nearly the exact same price to fly to Iqaluit-Kimmirut return, unreal
Blame the GN for not building an airstrip capable of handling anything bigger than a Twin Otter. It’s not like the GN hasn’t known this for the last 25 years..
Build and they will come.