At 15:00 on Friday there was a break in two fiber cables. This in turn led to air traffic north of Bodø being paralyzed.
The error lasted until approximately 16:45. Then Tromsø Airport, which until then had been closed for both departures and arrivals, was opened for some departures.
– The problem is completely new, but what I know is that ambulance planes and SAR will be prioritized, said Ivar Helsing Schrøen, the airport manager in Tromsø, to Nordlys.
At 19:00 the flights leave Tromsø again, albeit with delays.
Delays
The fiber break affected airports north of Bardufoss, but not Longyearbyen. In addition, it affected airports further south, in the form of flights being delayed.
Marketing and communications manager at Avinor Cathrine Framholt told NRK on Friday afternoon that the reason for the flight chaos lies in Bodø.
– A fiber break has been discovered from Bodø and northwards, and this affects technical equipment from Bodø and northwards. All available resources are working on the case and we have set up a central crisis team.
However, Telenor’s press manager, Andreas Krokan, would not confirm that information.
– There has been a breach that stretches from Bodø and northwards, is all he can say when AN calls.
Framholt said the same.
– It is possible that it was a clumsy formulation. We are in ongoing dialogue with Telenor, she says.
Return
As a result of the error, a central crisis staff was set up. All available resources were also put on the case.
– We have other systems that, regardless of the error, ensure a safe termination of the traffic that is already in the air. We have systems and procedures to handle such a situation safely. Flight safety is never at risk, Avinor stated in a press release.
