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{{Short description|Finnish airline}}
{{distinguish|Air Bleu|Airblue|Blue Air|Blue Panorama Airlines|JetBlue|Pacific Blue Airlines|Virgin Blue|Brilliant Blue FCF}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline = Blue1
| logo = Blue1 Logo.svg
| logo_size = 150
| image = OH-BLM landing at Schiphol (AMS - EHAM), The Netherlands, pic2.JPG
| image_size = 280
| IATA = KF
| ICAO = BLF
| callsign = BLUEFINN
| parent = [[CityJet]]
| founded = 1987
| ceased = {{nowrap|2016 (merged into [[CityJet]])}}
| headquarters = [[Vantaa]], Finland
| alliance = [[Star Alliance]] (affiliate)<br><small>{{nowrap|Regional member 2004–2009}}<br>Full member 2009–2012<br>Affiliate member 2012–2015</small>
| key_people = Janne Hattula, [[CEO]]
| focus_cities = 
| frequent_flyer = [[EuroBonus]]
<!-- "|lounge = Scandinavian Lounge Comment" – lounge is an unknown parameter  -->| fleet_size = 17
| destinations = 28
| num_employees = 350
| website = 
}}

'''Blue1 [[Osakeyhtiö|Oy]]''' was a [[Finland|Finnish]] [[airline]] owned by [[CityJet]].<ref name="bis_blue1">{{Cite web |url= http://www.ytj.fi/english/yritystiedot.aspx?yavain=567170&kielikoodi=3&tarkiste=13AC6C96F691D0546892F0FB1F0F872A64055606&path=1704;1736;2052 |title= Blue1 Oy |access-date= 10 February 2011 |work= Business Information System |publisher= The National Board of Patents and Registration and the Tax Administration, Finland |location= Helsinki |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110720195030/http://www.ytj.fi/english/yritystiedot.aspx?yavain=567170&kielikoodi=3&tarkiste=13AC6C96F691D0546892F0FB1F0F872A64055606&path=1704;1736;2052 |archive-date= 20 July 2011 |url-status= dead }}</ref><ref name="ch-aviation"/> It was a subsidiary of the [[SAS Group]] and flew to around 28 destinations in Europe,<ref name=AR/> mainly from its base at [[Helsinki Airport]]. It carried over 1.7 million passengers in 2011.<ref name=AR>[http://sasannualreport2011.com/en/Start/The+airlines´operations/The+airlines’+operations+–+Blue1/Tables+and+graphs Annual Report 2011] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140220200622/http://sasannualreport2011.com/en/Start/The+airlines |date=20 February 2014 }} sasannualreport2011.com Retrieved 22 August 2013.</ref> The airline was a member of [[Star Alliance]] and had its head office in [[Vantaa]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Blue1|publisher=Star Alliance |url=http://www.staralliance.com/en/about/airlines/blue1_airlines/ |access-date=15 January 2012}}</ref><ref>"[http://www.blue1.com/en/Other/About-us/Contact-us/Blue1-head-office/ Blue1 Head office] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825013534/http://www.blue1.com/en/Other/About-us/Contact-us/Blue1-head-office |date=25 August 2012 }}." blue1. Retrieved 6 February 2011.</ref><ref>"[http://www.blue1.com/Tiedostot/privacypolicy.pdf Privacy Policy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310072751/http://www.blue1.com/Tiedostot/privacypolicy.pdf |date=10 March 2012 }}." Blue1. Retrieved 25 February 2010. "or by visiting Rahtitie 3, 01530 Vantaa in person, where also the description of the data file is available for review."</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Embraer EMB-110P OH-EBD Botnia HEL 280894 edited-3.jpg|thumb|right|Air Botnia [[Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante]] at Helsinki Vantaa in 1994]]
[[File:Blue 1 Headquarters 01.jpg|thumb|Blue1 head office in [[Vantaa]]]]

===Early years===
The airline was established in 1987 and started operations in 1988 as '''Air Botnia''', flying [[Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante]]s on night cargo flights and on passenger services from [[Helsinki]] to [[Kauhajoki]] and [[Seinäjoki]].<ref name="AIoct04 p42">Pagiola 2004, p. 42.</ref> It started to supplement its unpressurised Bandeirantes with leased [[British Aerospace Jetstream 31]]s in 1993, but cash flow problems in the summer of 1995 caused British Aerospace to repossess the Jetstreams and brought Air Botnia to the point of bankruptcy, but it continued operations in a reduced scale.<ref name="AIoct04 p42-3">Pagliola 2004, pp. 42–43.</ref>

The airline was purchased by SAS Group in January 1998, who replaced its Jetstreams with [[Saab 340]]s later that year. Air Botnia received its first jets, [[Fokker F28 Fellowship]]s, in 1999. The elderly F28s were soon replaced as their high noise levels restricted operations, with [[British Aerospace 146|Avro RJ85]]s being received in 2001. The Saab 340s were replaced by larger [[Saab 2000]]s at the same time.<ref name="AIoct04 p44">Pagiola 2004, p. 44.</ref>

===Development since 2004===
Air Botnia was renamed Blue1 in January 2004,<ref name="AIoct04 p45">Pagliola 2004, p. 45.</ref> and joined [[Star Alliance]] as its first regional member on 3 November 2004. Blue1 became a full member of [[Star Alliance]] on 1 January 2009. Blue1 left Star Alliance in November 2012 and became an affiliate of [[Scandinavian Airlines]].

In 2005 Blue1 became the second-largest Finnish airline with more than 100 daily flights and the biggest operator between Finland and the Nordic nations Sweden, Denmark and Norway. In 2006 Blue1 started 10 new non-stop routes to Europe increasing its total capacity by more than 50%. In 2008 Blue1 moved its London operations from Stansted to [[Heathrow Airport]], and expanded its domestic business routes. In 2009 new routes to [[Lapland (Finland)|Lapland]], including Paris-Kittilä were opened for the winter season and routes to Biarritz, Dubrovnik and Split for summer travel.

Blue1 was the first network airline in Northern Europe to be granted ISO 14001 environmental certificate.<ref name="FI">[[Flight International]] 27 March 2007</ref> On 1 November 2012, Blue1 became a service producer for SAS. This means that marketing and sales were then handled by SAS and its flights carried the SAS flight prefix "SK".

In March 2015, it was announced that Blue1 was to sell their entire fleet of [[Boeing 717-200]]s to [[Volotea]] and [[Delta Air Lines]] and was to replace them with [[Boeing 737-600]]s from its parent, [[Scandinavian Airlines]],<ref name="ch-aviation.com">{{Cite web|url=http://ch-aviation.com/portal/news/35651-finlands-blue-to-offload-b717-fleet-to-volotea-delta|title=Finland's Blue to offload B717 fleet to Volotea, Delta}}</ref> however Scandinavian Airlines later cancelled the plan and considered to transfer some [[Bombardier CRJ900]] from [[Cimber (airline)|Cimber]].<ref name="flygtorget.se">{{Cite web|url=http://www.flygtorget.se/Aktuellt/Artikel/?Id=11085|title=Flygtorget » Flygnyheter » Flygnyheter » Inga Boeing 737 till Blue1}}</ref>

In October 2015, [[Scandinavian Airlines]] (SAS) announced the sale of Blue1 to [[CityJet]], which was to operate the company on behalf of SAS as part of a larger relationship.<ref name="blue1sold">[http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150930006973/en/SAS-Enters-Agreements-Cityjet-Wet-Lease-Sale#.Vg13J2t7b9I businesswire.com - SAS Enters into Agreements with Cityjet for Wet Lease and Sale of Blue1] 1 October 2015</ref> In December 2015, Blue1 did not operate any aircraft and its own website has been redirected to [[Scandinavian Airlines|SAS]]'s website.<ref>[http://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/airline/KF ch-aviation.com - Blue1] retrieved 20 December 2015</ref> In 2016, Blue1 was dissolved and merged into its new parent CityJet.<ref name="ch-aviation">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/airline/KF|title = Blue 1 on ch-aviation}}</ref>

== Fleet ==
[[File:Blue1 Boeing 717-200 OH-BLJ ARN 2012-6-30.png|thumb|A former Blue1 [[Boeing 717-200]]]]
[[File:British Aerospace Avro 146-RJ85, Blue1 AN1855152.jpg|thumb|A former Blue1 [[Avro RJ85]]]]
[[File:Blue1 md-90-30 oh-bld arp.jpg|thumb|A former Blue1 [[McDonnell Douglas MD-90]]]]

===Last fleet===
As of December 2015 - before its actual dissolution - Blue1 did not operate any aircraft as the [[Boeing 717-200]]s previously operated had been phased out without replacement.

===Retired fleet===
Previously Blue1 also operated the following aircraft types:

{| class="wikitable"
|- 
!Aircraft type
!Years active
|-
|[[Boeing 717|Boeing 717-200]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.blue1.com/en/fi/About-us/Company-information/Fleet-and-routes/Aircraft-types/ |title=Blue1 aircraft types |access-date=6 July 2012 |archive-date=8 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508230214/http://www.blue1.com/en/fi/About-us/Company-information/Fleet-and-routes/Aircraft-types |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|2010–2015
|-
|[[ATR-72]]{{Cn|date=February 2025}}
|2009–2012
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas MD-90]]{{Cn|date=February 2025}}
|2006–2011
|-
|[[Avro RJ100]]{{Cn|date=February 2025}}
|2003–2009
|-
|[[Avro RJ85]]{{Cn|date=February 2025}}
|2003–2013
|-
|[[Saab 2000]]{{Cn|date=February 2025}}
|2001–2006
|-
|[[Fokker F28]]{{citation needed|date=May 2015}}
|1999–2001
|-
|[[Saab 340]]{{citation needed|date=May 2015}}
|1998–2001
|-
|[[Jetstream 31]]{{citation needed|date=May 2015}}
|1993–1998
|-
|[[Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante]]{{citation needed|date=May 2015}}
|1987–1993
|-
|[[Cessna 402]]{{citation needed|date=May 2015}}
|1987–1988
|}

==Onboard services==
Blue1 offered two service classes, Economy and Economy Extra (previously Blue1 Premium).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blue1premium.com/#/premium|title=Blue1 Premium|access-date=16 September 2011|publisher=blue1.com}}</ref>

*Economy Class: Coffee and tea were included on all Blue1 operated flights. Sandwiches and other drinks were available for purchase from "Cafe1".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blue1.com/Tiedostot/Palvelut/Cafe1MenuAutumn2011.pdf|title=Mmmmmmm Mmmmmenu|publisher=blue1.com|date=Autumn 2011|access-date=13 September 2011}}</ref> Flights with short flight time had reduced service.
*Economy Extra: Fast Track security and Business Class check-in was included where available.

==References==
===Citations===
{{reflist}}

===Bibliography===
* Pagiola, Stefano. (October 2004) "Stars in Their Eyes: Finland's Blue 1 Regional Airline". ''[[Air International]]'', Vol 67 No 4. pp.&nbsp;42–45.

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|Blue1}}

{{Portalbar|Finland|Companies|Aviation}}
{{Navboxes
|list =
{{Airlines of Finland}}
{{SAS Group}}
{{Star Alliance}}
}}

[[Category:Defunct airlines of Finland]]
[[Category:European Regions Airline Association]]
[[Category:Airlines disestablished in 2016]]
[[Category:SAS Group members]]
[[Category:Former Star Alliance affiliate members]]
[[Category:Former Star Alliance members]]
[[Category:Airlines established in 1987]]