On 14 August 2015, the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (the FCCA) approved an acquisition whereby Finnair Plc will acquire a controlling interest in Nordic Regional Airlines AB.
Finnair and Flybe Group Plc established Nordic Regional Airlines AB in 2011, under the name Flybe Nordic AB. Flybe Finland Oy was in charge of operating activities. Since 16 June 2015, Finnair has been operating the business of Flybe Finland under the name Nordic Regional Airlines Oy (“Norra”).
On 29 January 2015, the FCCA approved an acquisition whereby Finnair on the one hand and Staffpoint Holding Oy and Oy G.W. Sohlberg Ab jointly on the other exercise shared control over Nordic Regional Airlines AB. However, this arrangement was never put into practice. With the acquisition currently at hand, Finnair will gain sole control over Nordic. The FCCA has granted Finnair permission to finalise the acquisition before the FCCA’s final decision.
The FCCA estimates that the acquisition will not change the competitive situation in the market. Similarly, the market players consulted by the FCCA believe the acquisition will have no negative impact on competition.
The FCCA’s decision includes the business secrets of the parties involved. The decision can only be published after the confidential information has been removed, which will take approximately two weeks.