The air navigation services provider (ANSP) responsible for Icelandic airspace has a new name: Avians, and a new logo. Beyond the branding exercise, what actually changes? Vincent Lambercy had the opportunity to discuss this with Kjartan Briem, CEO of the organisation, to better understand the thinking behind the move.
The role of the ANSP does not change. Avians continues to manage one of the most critical pieces of airspace in the world, the North-Atlantic, ensuring traffic flows safely and efficiently between Europe and North America.
So if operations remain the same, why change the name?
The answer goes back a few years. Around six years ago, air navigation services (ANS) were separated from airport operations within the Isavia group, leading to the creation of a subsidiary: Isavia ANS. This was a structural change and the naming created some occasional confusion. From the outside, it was not always obvious who was doing what between airport operations and air navigation services.
The move to Avians is therefore about clarity. A name that stands on its own, mixing aviation and ANS, and directly reflects the organisation’s activity. It is also easily usable internationally, short, and easy to spell out.
What came across very clearly during the discussion is that the main impact is not external. It is internal.
In organisations like ANSPs, performance relies on coordination between highly specialised teams. Controllers, engineers and support staff all play a role in delivering the final service. Strengthening the sense of belonging is not just a ‘nice to have’. It can translate into better collaboration and ultimately better service.
This is also why the name definition process itself mattered. Instead of imposing a name from the top, several options were proposed and staff were asked to vote. Avians was a clear winner. It may sound like a small detail, but it is not. When people feel ownership of a decision, it tends to stick much better.
The logo is really nice. It represents flows of traffic converging and diverging, and even if Iceland is not visible, it shows exactly what the organisation does on a daily basis.
Another practical benefit is the alleviation of confusion. ANSPs are not very visible to the travelling public, but they interact constantly with airlines, neighbouring ANSPs and institutions. Having a clear and distinct identity helps in these interactions.
That said, Kjartan was quite clear on one point. The branding effort is not primarily about marketing in the traditional sense. It is about making the internal culture even stronger than it is today.
Avians intends to maintain its position as a key player in the North Atlantic, adapting to increasing traffic, integrating new technologies and continuing to play an active role in international cooperation within the region.
There is also a broader context. Iceland’s geographical position naturally places it between Europe and North America. While the airport side of the business looks at developing hub potential, the ANSP remains focused on its core mission, managing en-route traffic safely and efficiently.
The new identity will be presented to the wider industry at Airspace World in Lisbon in May, which will be the first opportunity to see Avians in its new form.
In the end, this is not a story about changing what the organisation does. It is about making that role clearer, both internally and externally, and using that clarity to strengthen the team behind it.
