Following the suspension of international flights earlier this week due to security concerns, Greenland has reopened Nuuk Airport.
The temporary suspension of flights followed a disruption on 3 August when a United Airlines flight bound for Newark departed from Nuuk more than three hours late due to staff absences. Danish authorities raised concerns about passenger screening procedure at Greenland Airports’ primary gateway when security screening staff failed to show up for work following a reindeer hunting trip.
The operator halted all international flights on 26 August when the Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority said that “supplementary training of staff responsible for screening international travellers didn’t meet current requirements.”
While domestic flights were unaffected by the suspension, several airlines, including United Airlines, Air Greenland and SAS had to cancel or divert flights to and from Greenland’s capital.
“We are working intensively with the Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority to address the specific issues that have been identified in the training,” read a statement from the airport operator.
The airport officially opened at the end of 2024 and has been hailed as a game-changer for Greenland, marking the first time international passenger flights have been able to serve the capital.
“The goal is to restore normal operations for international traffic as quickly as possible. in the near future, travellers departing Greenland on certain routes may undergo security screening in Kangerlussuaq or Narsarsuaq.”
With the issue now resolved thanks to certified security screeners flying in from Denmark, United Airlines is expected to resume its services between Newark and Nuuk on 30 August. The link is the only direct airline connection between Greenland and North America.
Airport officials have confirmed that, “A team of certified security staff from two Danish airports has arrived in Nuuk and is ready to reopen international traffic on Thursday 28 August. At the same time, arrangements will be made within the next few days so that the security staff in Nuuk can resume their functions as soon as possible.”
Photo: Nuuk Airport
