Trafikstyrelsen, the Danish transport authority, has approved the new international airport in Ilulissat in western Greenland. The airport can officially open on Thursday, and the first Air Greenland Airbus is land at 14:40 Danish time with passengers from Copenhagen, according to DR and Politiken.
The approval covers the runway as well as safety procedures, fire and rescue preparedness, security control and the air traffic service in the tower, Trafikstyrelsen said in a press release. "After a long series of inspections and a test flight, we have approved that the airport meets the necessary level of safety required to operate a modern, international airport," said Lars Korsholm, deputy director at Trafikstyrelsen.
The approval comes with temporary conditions that impose some restrictions at first, until the airport is fully in place and has gained operating experience. "It means, for example, that the airport's flight capacity will gradually be increased as the airport gains familiarity with air traffic and safety procedures," Korsholm said. Trafikstyrelsen will monitor operations and that the requirements set out in the approval are met.
The old runway was 845 metres long and could not receive larger aircraft. The new runway is 2.2 kilometres long and allows larger aircraft to land in western Greenland. A direct flight from Copenhagen to Ilulissat will take 4 hours and 40 minutes, compared with flying via the capital Nuuk before.
After Thursday's opening, there will initially be one direct flight between Ilulissat and Copenhagen every Wednesday. That will increase to several weekly flights in high season, including between Christmas and New Year. Thursday's opening is marked with an opening flight from Copenhagen to Ilulissat.
Travel information
- Roads: Trafikinfo. Trains: DSB. Copenhagen Airport: cph.dk.