Following the initial schedule development for a direct Esbjerg–Stavanger connection announced earlier, LYGG has advanced its planning into a preliminary North Sea Route schedule. As part of this staged rollout, booking will open first for the Groningen–Norwich connection, while the Esbjerg–Stavanger route is progressing.
The initial Esbjerg–Stavanger schedule plays a key role in validating flight times, operational feasibility, and alignment with industry travel patterns. Building on these insights and customer demand signals, LYGG expanded the planning scope to include multiple city pairs, creating a more resilient and scalable North Sea Route structure.
“Moving from a single-route plan to a multiple-route schedule allows us to build stronger, more reliable connections,” says Roope Kekäläinen, Founder of LYGG. ”Our model enables legs to progress through clearly defined development stages, ensuring a structured and scalable approach while maintaining long-term performance.”
Staged Rollout of the North Sea Route
As part of the process, the Groningen–Norwich connection of the route reached booking readiness faster than expected and will be the first connection to open for booking, with operations scheduled to commence on March 4, 2026.
The Esbjerg–Stavanger route remains a core connection within the North Sea Route.
As the connection continues to mature, LYGG is aligning rollout with the offshore market cycles and ongoing project developments. Based on current market indications, activity on the Esbjerg–Stavanger route is expected to increase toward Q4, in line with offshore project cycles.
“Our focus is to launch the route immediately when clients need it. By matching operations with market momentum, we create the best conditions for a successful and sustainable start, supported by sufficient demand from day one,” Kekäläinen explains.
“As an airport, our role is to enable connectivity that truly serves the region. Together with LYGG, we can respond to changing travel needs in a way traditional models cannot. This is particularly important for the offshore market, where demand is project-based and reliability matters most,” points out Susanne Kruse Sørensen, Airport Director, Esbjerg Airport.
The staged rollout reflects LYGG’s demand-driven model, where routes are launched only once they are commercially and operationally sustainable. This approach ensures high reliability for passengers, efficient aircraft utilization, and long-term value for the regions served.
“LYGG has already identified client demand to connect Esbjerg with Groningen, Norwich, Humberside, and other destinations across the North Sea, and we are encouraged to see these discussions progress,” Kekäläinen says.
More information:
Roope Kekäläinen, Founder, LYGG
+358 50 401 1321, roope.kekalainen@lygg.com
Susanne Kruse Sørensen, Airport Director, Esbjerg Airport
+45 20 32 42 89, sks@esbjergairport.dk
LYGG
LYGG is the first regional air mobility platform, on a mission to connect regions, empower people, and sustain the future. By pooling corporate travel needs and partnering with established operators, LYGG creates direct routes that save time, cut costs, and reduce emissions. It’s about time.
LYGG is developing a North Sea air connectivity concept designed to link key offshore and industrial regions, including hubs such as Haugesund, Stavanger, Esbjerg, Emden, Groningen, Den Helder, Ostend, Humberside, Norwich and Aberdeen. The North Sea Route is planned to open in stages in line with market demand.
Esbjerg Airport
Esbjerg Airport is a regional airport and an important hub for the offshore energy industry in the North Sea. With daily helicopter operations to oil, gas, and wind installations as well as scheduled routes to Aberdeen and Stavanger, the airport supports both offshore activities, business, and leisure travel.Esbjerg Airport is also committed to sustainable solutions. Our effort spans the entire operation – from enabling the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel on selected helicopter operations and applying biofuel in our ground transportation to building strong partnerships that support long-term green transition. With a local presence and an international reach, Esbjerg Airport connects Denmark to the world.