The recent week has created significant challenges for air traffic in Greenland, where 136 flights have been canceled, affecting around 3700 travelers. This is an extraordinarily high number, according to Inga Dóra G. Markussen, Director of Sustainability and Communication at Air Greenland, speaking to the Greenlandic media KNR. Markussen compares the situation to the ash cloud from the volcano under the Eyjafjallajökull glacier in Iceland, which caused major problems for air traffic in 2010. Air Greenland normally handles around 15,000 passengers in a week, but the recent weather conditions have particularly affected destinations in South Greenland, leading to many cancellations to and from Nuuk due to fog.
In a Facebook post dated July 11, Air Greenland stated that the cancellations have affected passengers along the entire coast, as well as travelers to and from Iqaluit in Canada and Denmark. One of the major challenges for Air Greenland is finding accommodation for stranded passengers. Many have had to stay overnight in cots in gymnasiums in Kangerlussuaq and in schools in Ilulissat in West Greenland.
Markussen explains that although there are emergency systems and extra capacity with both planes and helicopters, these are only enough to handle a few days of cancellations. The extended period of bad weather has therefore led to a growing number of affected passengers. The forecasts for when the situation will normalize depend entirely on the weather conditions in the coming week, Markussen tells KNR.
“The weather controls everything,” she emphasizes.