Air traffic was paralyzed when the airspace over southern Norway was closed just before 0630 on Thursday morning.
At 0930, VG reports that, according to Avinor, the planes are being opened up again.
– I am not sure who they got the message from. We have not been told that the error has been found, says communications manager Cathrine Fuglesang Framholt in Avinor to BA.
Has partially opened up
At Bergen Airport, “limited traffic” was restarted at 08:00, operational manager Øystein Skaar told BA.
Data from Flightradar24 shows that several flights have taken off from Bergen.
– The airspace has been completely closed, but now strict restrictions apply. I have been told that the airspace is being opened up for some landings, says communications manager Framholt.
The flights that are prioritized are ambulance flights and some long-haul flights, according to Avinor.
At 0930, Framholt states that a few regular scheduled flights have also left.
– We are opening up little by little, but very limited. I have not been told that the error has been found, she says.
Framholt emphasizes that there are still strict restrictions that apply. It is unclear to her whether Avinor has found the data error.
– We have a 100 percent focus on safety. It is impossible to say how many planes and travelers are affected, says Framholt.
Thousands of passengers affected
A number of flights across the country have been canceled in the morning hours.
Avinor states that it is unknown when the problem will be resolved. All travelers are encouraged to refer to information from their airline.
Widerøe’s press contact Lina Lindegaard Carlsen says that the closed airspace has affected 25 of their flights.
– Around a thousand Widerøe passengers are affected. Those affected will be contacted by us, she tells BA.
At Norwegian, the figure is far higher than that.
– 40 flights and approximately 4,500 of our passengers are affected, says communications advisor Eline Hyggen Skari at Norwegian.
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– What the hell are they doing?
Closed until 11 o’clock
Both Widerøe and Norwegian say they have been told that the airspace will not open until 1100.
– We are still dealing with closed airspace until 1100, says Hyggen Skari.
All airlines are aware that they themselves will contact the passengers who are affected.
– The important thing is that all information to the passengers will come from the airlines. If you don’t hear anything, you should meet at the airport as usual, says communications manager Cathrine Fuglesang Framholt in Avinor to BA.
Computer problems
She states that there are two computer systems at the control center in Oslo that are not talking to each other as they should. This means that air traffic in southern Norway cannot be managed properly.
– When it has to do with safety, there is nothing else to do but close the airspace, says Framholt.
Avinor confirms to NTB that the error occurred a little before 06.30.
There were several planes in the airspace in southern Norway when the airspace was closed. These were allowed to land as normal.
– But it will not take off more planes until the situation is clarified, says operations manager Øystein Skaar at Flesland to BA.
Avinor is responsible for 43 state-owned airports as well as the air traffic control service for civil and military aviation in Norway.
