Per G Braathen: “If we had not done the deal with SAS, SAS would have given up on Sweden”

Per G Braathen is an aviation industry song-and-dance man who, like his colleague Petter Stordalen, gets laughs and applause with his semi-Norwegian plain speaking. This was also the case at Travel News’ aviation seminar when he explained why so many Norwegians are prominent in the hotel and travel industry:

- Norway has no industry; we were poor, so you have to take risks. Aviation is high risk.

He has taken risks himself and been forced into three restructurings within the Braganza Group. It ended with Bromma’s foremost defender having to move to Arlanda and begin operating domestic flights for SAS:

- If we had not done the deal with SAS, SAS would not have given a damn about Sweden. It saved Sweden’s infrastructure. We have kept several routes alive in Sweden, but that is not possible if everyone takes the car instead of flying.

Nor does he think much of rail as an environmentally friendly alternative:

- Trains damage the environment with major tracks through nature. We have aircraft, and if you fuel them with 100 per cent SAF, the problem is solved. But there is a lot of talk about SAF and little action.

Braathen is now investing in two factories that will be able to produce 100 000 tonnes of SAF a year. That is roughly as much as Sweden’s sole SAF producer, ST1, can make, and enough for all domestic aviation.

A red rag to Per G Braathen is company policy requiring train travel to be prioritised for business trips:

- Authorities that put their staff on trains are shooting themselves in the foot. I have met politicians who come to me and ask me to start an air route to their municipality, then say, “but we ourselves will not fly”.

He is also sceptical of state support for unprofitable airports:

- Why should anyone pay for empty airports? Support aviation instead, as Norway does, with an incentive system that benefits Widerøe if it increases its flying.

Per G Braathen is not impressed either by all the chic shops and new restaurants that make Arlanda’s walking routes extra long:

- Domestic passengers do not buy that rubbish. They just want to get there or get home as quickly as possible. Arlanda should be “Brommified”.

Finally, moderator Jan Wifstrand asked what drove him – perhaps it was a passion for aviation? Per G Braathen shook his mane of hair and drew the biggest laugh of the day:

- No, I do fly a lot, admittedly, but I have no interest in aviation. I just hate losing!