Bjørn Kjos
Encyclopedia
Bjørn Kjos is a Norwegian
aviator
, lawyer
, author
and businessperson
. He is the largest owner and CEO of Norwegian Air Shuttle
, Scandinavia's second largest airline.
in Ringerike
. In 1953, his father Ola started the airline Norsk Skogbruksfly, and bought a Piper Cub. Bjørn became a trained pilot in the Royal Norwegian Air Force
during two years of training in Mississippi
and Arizona
in the United States, and flew Lockheed F-104 Starfighter fighter jets from 1969 to 1975. Because Scandinavian Airlines System
did not need any new pilots, Kjos started studying law. From 1983 to 2002, he worked as a lawyer, and was also for a period a judge in Moss District Court. Since 1993 he has access to work with Supreme Court
cases.
in the North Sea for the oil industry. In 1993, following the bankruptcy of the airline Busy Bee, Kjos and several employees started Norwegian Air Shuttle, that used Fokker 50 aircraft to fly regional routes in Western Norway for Braathens SAFE. Kjos chaired the company from 1993 to 1996. Kjos also owned part of Lufttransport
, where he was chair until 2005, when it was sold to Lufttransport
. In 2002, Kjos transformed Norwegian Air Shuttle into a low-cost airline, and leased eight Boeing 737-300
s. With the imminent bankruptcy of Braathens, Norwegian Air Shuttle quickly became Norway's second largest airline. Since Kjos took over as CEO of the regional airline in 2002, Norwegian Air Shuttle has become the second-largest airline in Scandinavia.
and a cabin in Hardangervidda
. In 2006, he débuted with the spy thriller The Murmansk Affair . In his public appearances, he is known to be an extremely jovial man.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
aviator
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
, lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and businessperson
Businessperson
A businessperson is someone involved in a particular undertaking of activities for the purpose of generating revenue from a combination of human, financial, or physical capital. An entrepreneur is an example of a business person...
. He is the largest owner and CEO of Norwegian Air Shuttle
Norwegian Air Shuttle
Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA , trading as Norwegian, is the second-largest airline in Scandinavia. In 2010, it transported 13.0 million people. As of October 2011, Norwegian operates a total fleet of 62 aircraft; 17 Boeing 737-300s and 45 Boeing 737-800s...
, Scandinavia's second largest airline.
Background
Kjos was born and grew up in SoknaSokna
Sokna is a small village located between Hønefoss and Krøderen in the municipality of Ringerike, in the county of Buskerud, Norway. The village is perhaps most associated with the historic Lunder Church.-Location:...
in Ringerike
Ringerike
oskar er kjempe kulRingerike is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Ringerike...
. In 1953, his father Ola started the airline Norsk Skogbruksfly, and bought a Piper Cub. Bjørn became a trained pilot in the Royal Norwegian Air Force
Royal Norwegian Air Force
The Royal Norwegian Air Force is the air force of Norway. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian armed forces on 10 November 1944. The RNoAF's peace force is approximately 1,430 employees . 600 personnel also serve their draft period in the RNoAF...
during two years of training in Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
and Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
in the United States, and flew Lockheed F-104 Starfighter fighter jets from 1969 to 1975. Because Scandinavian Airlines System
Scandinavian Airlines System
Scandinavian Airlines or SAS, previously Scandinavian Airlines System, is the flag carrier of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, and the largest airline in Scandinavia....
did not need any new pilots, Kjos started studying law. From 1983 to 2002, he worked as a lawyer, and was also for a period a judge in Moss District Court. Since 1993 he has access to work with Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Norway
The Supreme Court of Norway was established in 1815 on the basis of the Constitution of Norway's §88, prescribing an independent judiciary. It is located in Oslo and is Norway's highest court...
cases.
Career
In 1986, Bjørn and his brother Tore started Read-gruppen, that worked with seismologySeismology
Seismology is the scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth or through other planet-like bodies. The field also includes studies of earthquake effects, such as tsunamis as well as diverse seismic sources such as volcanic, tectonic, oceanic,...
in the North Sea for the oil industry. In 1993, following the bankruptcy of the airline Busy Bee, Kjos and several employees started Norwegian Air Shuttle, that used Fokker 50 aircraft to fly regional routes in Western Norway for Braathens SAFE. Kjos chaired the company from 1993 to 1996. Kjos also owned part of Lufttransport
Lufttransport
Lufttransport is a Norwegian helicopter and fixed-wing airline that operates primarily air ambulance helicopters and planes for the Norwegian and Swedish governments...
, where he was chair until 2005, when it was sold to Lufttransport
Lufttransport
Lufttransport is a Norwegian helicopter and fixed-wing airline that operates primarily air ambulance helicopters and planes for the Norwegian and Swedish governments...
. In 2002, Kjos transformed Norwegian Air Shuttle into a low-cost airline, and leased eight Boeing 737-300
Boeing 737 Classic
The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
s. With the imminent bankruptcy of Braathens, Norwegian Air Shuttle quickly became Norway's second largest airline. Since Kjos took over as CEO of the regional airline in 2002, Norwegian Air Shuttle has become the second-largest airline in Scandinavia.
Personal life
Kjos is married to Gerd and has three adult children. He enjoys hiking and sailing, and owns an apartment in LofotenLofoten
Lofoten is an archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Though lying within the Arctic Circle, the archipelago experiences one of the world's largest elevated temperature anomalies relative to its high latitude.-Etymology:...
and a cabin in Hardangervidda
Hardangervidda
The Hardangervidda is a mountain plateau in the Hardanger region of western Norway. It is the largest such plateau in Europe, with a cold year-round alpine climate and is the site of one of Norway's largest glaciers. Much of the plateau is protected as part of Hardangervidda National Park; it is a...
. In 2006, he débuted with the spy thriller The Murmansk Affair . In his public appearances, he is known to be an extremely jovial man.