Kangerlussuaq Airport
Main international airport in Greenland From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kangerlussuaq Airport (Greenlandic: Mittarfik Kangerlussuaq, Danish: Søndre Strømfjord Lufthavn) (IATA: SFJ, ICAO: BGSF) is an airport in Kangerlussuaq, a settlement in the Qeqqata municipality in central-western Greenland. Alongside Narsarsuaq Airport, it is one of only two civilian airports in Greenland large enough to handle large aircraft. It is located away from the coast and hence less prone to fog and wind in comparison with other airports in Greenland. Kangerlussuaq Airport is the international hub for Air Greenland. The Kangerlussuaq area has very few inhabitants (around 500), so few travellers have their origin or destination here; most travellers change aircraft.
Kangerlussuaq Airport Mittarfik Kangerlussuaq Kangerlussuaq Lufthavn | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Operator | Greenland Airport Authority (Mittarfeqarfiit) | ||||||||||
| Serves | Kangerlussuaq, Greenland | ||||||||||
| Location | Kangerlussuaq, Qeqqata, Greenland, Denmark | ||||||||||
| Hub for | Air Greenland | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 165 ft / 50 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 67°01′01″N 050°41′22″W | ||||||||||
| Website | Kangerlussuaq Airport | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  BGSF Location in Greenland | |||||||||||
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| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Statistics (2012) | |||||||||||
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Most traffic will move to Nuuk Airport in 2024, coinciding with the opening of its new lengthened runway and terminal.[3]
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The first airport was built here during the US occupation in 1941 under the name of Bluie West-8, later renamed Sondrestromfjord Air Base and Sondrestrom Air Base.[citation needed]
In the mid 1950s, transatlantic civilian flights began using the air base for refueling. In 1956, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) was flying "Polar route" service with three round trip flights per week being operated with Douglas DC-6B propliners on a routing of Copenhagen - Sondre Stromfjord (now Kangerlussuaq) - Winnipeg - Los Angeles.[4] This use enabled air travel to Greenland, but fell off in the 1960s as airliners gained greater range. Instead, the base became the hub of Greenland air traffic.[citation needed] The airport was handed over to civilian Greenlandic control in 1992.
Air Greenland introduced seasonal flights to Baltimore in May 2007. The following March, it decided to end the route.[5]
At a late 2011 Air Greenland meeting, plans to move the main Greenland intercontinental air hub away from Kangerlussuaq were agreed upon. According to the 2011 plan, three 1,199-metre (3,934 ft) airstrips will be built: a new airport at Qaqortoq, as well as extensions at Nuuk and Ilulissat. New airports will probably also be built at Tasiilaq and Ittoqqortoormiit later. Alongside Kangerlussuaq, the airports at Narsarsuaq and Kulusuk (if Tasiilaq is built) will also be closed.[6] Generally, a number of the airstrips have been built by the US military at locations deliberately away from major settlements, partly due to the Danish policy to downplay the presence of the US military in Greenland. There was also a concern for the need to renovate the Kangerlussuaq runway for a fairly high cost, as the permafrost is melting underneath it.[7]
A decision was made in 2016 to extend the runways of both Nuuk and Ilulissat airports to 2,200 m (7,218 ft), allowing them to receive medium size jetliners from Denmark,[8][9] and also to replace Narsarsuaq with a new airport at Qaqortoq. Construction at Nuuk Airport started late 2019. Due to the runway stability problems at Kangerlussuaq, it was initially thought that this would eventually lead to the closure or restricted use of its runway. However, in 2024 it was clarified that Kangerlussuaq Airport would remain open and there will continue to be unrestricted access for larger civilian aircraft.[10][11]
Even though most international traffic will move to Nuuk and Ilulissat, Kangerlussuaq will remain important, partly due to its more stable weather and longer runway. Cruise ships want to exchange passengers at Greenland because the long journey time to Greenland and back to home is unsuitable for many passengers. They need a reliable airport with few delays because cruise ships have firm planned schedules with booked ports and land activities. For this reason, in 2018 plans were approved to build a better port near Kangerlussuaq together with a 15 km (9.3 mi) road to the airport. As of 2018, the small port cannot take cruise ships nor large freight ships, so transfer boats are needed.[12]
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The terminal is open for 24 hours a day during summer. Hotel Kangerlussuaq, with 70 rooms and a restaurant, is located within the terminal building of the airport, providing accommodation for transferring passengers and visitors to the area. Other amenities include a nightclub and a self-service bar open in the daytime. Several tourism outfitters share an office in the terminal, alongside the Tourist Office. There are also other more simple accommodations in Kangerlussuaq.
Passenger
The following airlines operate regular scheduled and charter flights at Kangerlussuaq Airport:
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Air Greenland | Aasiaat (ends 27 November 2024),[13] Ilulissat, Maniitsoq (ends 26 November 2024), Narsarsuaq, Nuuk, Sisimiut Seasonal: Copenhagen[14] |
- Notes
^1 :Access to several research camps on the Greenland ice sheet, including the Danish field camp North GRIP and the American Summit Camp, is handled through Kangerlussuaq via the 109th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard.
^2 :There are a few tourist charter flights between Germany and Kangerlussuaq every summer, in connection with cruise ship arrivals to the Kangerlussuaq seaport. Those flights have typically been operated by Air Greenland or airlines from Germany.[15]
^3 :Other charter flights are used, for example a number of flights from the US and Canada landed in connection with the 2016 Arctic Winter Games in Nuuk[citation needed] and a flight to Canada in connection with the 2023 Arctic Winter Games.[16]
Cargo
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Flights from Copenhagen using large aircraft are the main way of quick transport of mail and goods, including fresh food, to Greenland. Because of the lack of a good port at Kangerlussuaq, most material is transported by air to other destinations. Goods that do not need such quick transport are often freighted by air to Nuuk and then by ship to other places in Greenland. A road to Sisimiut at the coast is planned with this freight in mind. In general, there are worries about cost, and furthermore the uncertainty of the future of Kangerlussuaq airport makes it hard to decide upon a road or a port.[citation needed]
- In 1961, a DHC-3 Otter, operated by Greenlandair, crashed at emergency landing in terrain near Kangerlussuaq, because of a fire on board. One crew member was killed. There were 2 crew and 4 passengers on board.[17]
- In 1968, three US T-33 jet trainers collided and crashed into a nearby mountain. All three pilots parachuted to safety.[18]
- In 1976, a US Air Force C-141A cargo plane crashed, killing 23 of 27 passengers and crew on board.[19]
Images of Kangerlussuaq Airport
Air Greenland Dash 8-200 prepared to board passengers
Sign post with travel times to major cities around the world
Air Greenland check-in counter
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