Norra – Outstanding Aviation

Many people may not realize they are flying with Finland’s second-largest airline – after all, our name doesn’t appear on the sides of our aircraft. Yet Norra has been a central part of Finnish aviation and the everyday lives of those who make it happen for decades.

In autumn 2024, we set out to clarify our path forward. Norra’s operating environment has changed significantly in recent years, and it was the right time to pause and identify who we are, what drives us, and where we want to go next. Our company identity, values, and culture already existed — we just needed to express them more clearly and boldly.

Amidst change, it was important for us to recognize our identity, values, and strengths so that we could define a clear direction and goal for the future, says Norra CEO Juha Ojala.

Throughout the strategy process, we listened to the thoughts, experiences, and hopes of our people. We reflected on our starting point and searched for a shared direction — a path toward building an even stronger Norra. A recurring theme in our conversations was a strong sense of community and the clear belief that it is Norra’s people who make the company what it is today.

Norrans Make Norra

Aviation is an industry that brings solutions, possibilities, and movement to the world. At the same time, it is a field destined for significant transformation in the coming years.

For Norra, change represents opportunity. As a small and agile airline, we are able to respond, adapt, and innovate in ways larger operators cannot.

When we ask our people what matters most in their work, the answer is clear: other Norrans. Teammates, collaboration, and shared success. An outstanding work community is not just a beautiful idea — it’s our core operating principle.

We believe that good team spirit and close collaboration are felt by our customers as well — through safety, punctuality, and high-quality service. From this, our core philosophy is born:

An outstanding work community creates outstanding aviation.

Our strong team spirit shows in our daily life as open dialogue. We can speak honestly and together about the things that matter. At Norra, we support each other, help our colleagues succeed, and enjoy each other’s company. Outwardly, Norra appears as a unified team with a shared goal, Ojala says.

Norra combines a solution-oriented mindset, efficiency, and humanity. These traits are visible in both our daily operations and strategic direction. For Finnair, we are a driver of customer experience and a strategic partner, working together to strengthen Finnish society and the aviation industry as a whole.

Where Are We Headed?

We Norrans are guided by curiosity, ambition, and a desire to grow. We believe we are well-equipped to respond to the needs of a changing world. At the heart of our strategy is the idea of Norra as a continuously evolving regional airline.

To make this a reality, we must keep developing our operations and harnessing the potential of new technologies and ways of working. We aim to move the industry forward and create new opportunities for improving airline operations, says Ojala.

Our goal is to become Europe’s most outstanding regional airline.

Achieving this will take constant curiosity, close collaboration with our partners, and the courage to move forward — one step at a time, with determination. When every Norran actively contributes to developing our community and operations, we gain the confidence to identify new opportunities and make progress toward our ambitious goal.

In the coming years, Norra’s strategy will focus on three priorities:

1. An Outstandingly Engaged and Committed Team

We nurture a strong team spirit and support each other — within our own teams and across the entire organization. Our ability to improve aviation every day is built on each Norran’s right to be themselves and to take part in developing our work.

Everything starts with a safe environment where each person can bring their skills to the table in pursuit of a common goal, Ojala describes.

2. An Outstandingly Agile and Responsible Airline

Agility and responsibility go hand-in-hand at Norra. We don’t just aim to meet expectations — we strive to exceed them by continually improving.

Responsibility is becoming more critical across all industries, and we believe its importance will only continue to grow. A strong and clear sustainability strategy is a hallmark of successful companies. At Norra, we are building ours while recognizing our role as a strategic partner to Finnair.

This is reflected in how we interact with our environment, our society, our team, our employees, and our customers. We also want to increase leadership transparency by improving our decision-making processes, Ojala explains.

3. An Outstanding Customer Experience

Safety, quality, and punctuality are at the core of the experience for both our passengers and Finnair. Beyond operational expertise, we proactively meet future expectations — whether the next challenge is minutes away or decades ahead.

As an agile airline, Norra has outstanding strengths in adapting to current conditions and operating flights safely, punctually, and with high quality. We know how to deliver the Finnair customer experience in a way no one else can, says Ojala.

Values That Show in Action

Norra is guided by three values — defined by us, the people of Norra — and visible in our everyday work:

• Team spirit – We respect and support each other, sharing in both successes and challenges.

• Responsibility – We do things thoroughly, safely, and for the greater good.

• The right to excellence – Everyone has the right to shine and grow as their authentic self.

Moving Forward

The changing operating environment will continue to shape our path. Norra’s strengths and adaptability are recognized not just internally, but by those outside the organization — and that trust shows.

Ojala believes that the future will bring new opportunities for growth and meaningful professional challenges for Norra.

I have complete confidence that we can strengthen our role both as a strategic partner and as an independent actor and trailblazer as the industry evolves, Ojala says.

Our growth is about taking on a greater role in improving aviation, and that requires seamless collaboration. That’s why staying connected and maintaining our strong team spirit is essential.

An outstanding work community is at the heart of everything — it’s how we will continue to create outstanding aviation, Ojala concludes.

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