With deep roots in the travel and tourism industry, hospitality expert Katarina Railko is a key voice in analyzing the intricate partnerships that shape modern aviation. Her affinity for the operational side of travel gives her a unique perspective on the recent landmark agreement between Aviator Airport Alliance and Wizz Air. This new three-year contract for ground handling and de-icing services across eight Norwegian airports not only rekindles a past partnership but also sets the stage for Wizz Air’s ambitious Nordic expansion. We sat down with Katarina to explore the strategic thinking behind the deal, the operational complexities of serving diverse Nordic climates, and how such collaborations are essential for airline growth and passenger satisfaction.
Your new contract with Wizz Air is a “reestablishment” of your partnership in Norway. Drawing from your past collaboration and current success in Sweden and Denmark, could you share the key lessons learned that will ensure superior on-time performance from day one in 2026?
This isn’t just a new contract; it’s a homecoming, and that’s a significant advantage. The most critical lesson from our ongoing operations with Wizz Air at major hubs like Copenhagen and Stockholm Arlanda is the value of an established rhythm. We already speak the same operational language. When the partnership kicks off on January 13, 2026, we won’t be wasting the first few months learning each other’s processes. We’ll be leveraging a shared history and a proven blueprint for success from day one, which is absolutely crucial for delivering the on-time performance that passengers expect and that an airline of Wizz Air’s scale demands.
The agreement uniquely includes Bodø and Kristiansand, where Wizz Air has no current flights. Can you walk me through the strategic thinking behind this and describe the step-by-step process Aviator would follow to rapidly mobilize services if Wizz Air launches routes there?
Including Bodø and Kristiansand is a brilliant piece of strategic foresight from both sides. For Wizz Air, it’s about agility. It gives them the freedom to test and launch new routes into emerging Norwegian markets without the typical logistical delays of sourcing a new ground handler. From our side, it demonstrates our commitment to being an enabler of growth, not just a service provider. If Wizz Air gives us the green light for Bodø, our mobilization is streamlined. We’d activate a pre-planned operational framework, deploy core leadership from our existing Norwegian teams, and scale up staffing and equipment based on a model we’ve refined across our 15 Nordic airports. It’s essentially a ‘plug-and-play’ setup, designed for speed and reliability.
Wizz Air cited your “safety-first approach” and “reliability.” Beyond standard metrics, what specific key performance indicators will you use to measure these qualities across the eight Norwegian airports, and can you share an anecdote of how you’ve demonstrated this reliability during a challenging situation?
It’s an honor to be recognized for those values because they are the bedrock of our operations. Beyond tracking on-time departures, we measure our success by metrics like zero damage incidents to aircraft and ground equipment uptime during critical weather events. Reliability is proven when things go wrong. I recall a situation at one of our Swedish airports during a sudden, severe blizzard. While other operations were grinding to a halt, our teams, who had drilled for exactly this scenario, seamlessly coordinated de-icing and pushback, keeping Wizz Air’s flights moving safely. It’s that ability to deliver under pressure, ensuring every passenger gets on their way without compromising safety, that truly defines the reliability Wizz Air depends on.
De-icing is a critical service in Norway. Given the harsh winter conditions at airports like Tromsø, what specific technologies or streamlined procedures will you implement for Wizz Air’s fleet to ensure both rapid turnarounds and the highest safety standards during peak season?
De-icing in a place like Tromsø, deep in the Arctic Circle, is as much an art as a science, and it’s non-negotiable. Success there hinges on a two-pronged approach: proactive preparation and flawless execution. We utilize advanced meteorological data to anticipate icing conditions, allowing us to pre-position our de-icing rigs and crews long before the aircraft even arrives at the gate. The procedure itself is a highly choreographed sequence, much like a pit stop in a race, designed to minimize time on the ground. Our teams are trained to perform these tasks with precision and speed, ensuring the aircraft is perfectly clean and safe for departure while protecting the airline’s tight turnaround schedules.
This deal deepens your cooperation with Wizz Air across the entire Nordic region. How does coordinating services for one airline across Norway, Sweden, and Denmark create operational synergies, and what is one major logistical challenge you have to plan for?
The synergy is immense. Having a single ground handling partner across the Nordics gives Wizz Air a level of consistency and a single point of contact that is invaluable. We can standardize procedures, share best practices from Stockholm to Bergen, and even reallocate specialized equipment or personnel during irregular operations. This creates a seamless, predictable experience for their crews and planners. The biggest logistical challenge, however, is the sheer environmental diversity of the region. The operational plan for a snowy day in Tromsø is completely different from a busy summer afternoon in Copenhagen. The key is to blend our standardized, high-level approach with deep, localized expertise to ensure we deliver that same reliability and safety, no matter the weather or location.
What is your forecast for the growth of low-cost carriers like Wizz Air in the Nordic region, based on strategic partnerships like this one?
My forecast is for robust and accelerated growth. This partnership is a textbook example of how to build a foundation for sustainable expansion. When an ambitious airline like Wizz Air, which carried over 62 million passengers last year, secures a reliable, full-service ground partner across an entire region, it removes significant operational risk. It allows them to focus their energy on what they do best: developing new routes and connecting more destinations. This agreement isn’t just about servicing existing flights; it’s a clear signal that Wizz Air is preparing for a much deeper and broader presence across the Nordics, and partnerships like this are the essential launchpad for making that happen.
