Norwegian air traffic controllers' strike grounds flights

Norway's air traffic is in disarray as a strike by air traffic controllers, initiated just before noon yesterday, continues to cause major disruptions. The industrial action has already impacted thousands of passengers and led to numerous flight cancellations.

Widerøe, a Norwegian airline, confirmed the cancellation of many flights for this evening. Avinor, the state-owned operator of Norwegian airports, reported significant effects in the Vestland region, particularly at Torp Airport near Sandefjord. Flesland Airport in Bergen and Stavanger Airport in Sola have also faced disruptions, with flight operations temporarily halted between 6:45 PM and 8:20 PM local time.

“

Vi er nåna að aflýsa fjölda flugferða í kvöld

Avinor stated that Western Norway is particularly affected. While passenger flights are being prioritized, passengers are advised to check for updates and proceed to their departure airports unless otherwise notified. The dispute is not about salaries but concerns working hours, age-related rights, and training arrangements. The union is pushing back against controllers working from 8 AM to 4 PM without any scheduled breaks, not even a coffee break.

Adding to the chaos, Avinor anticipates closing Oslo's Gardermoen Airport for five hours tomorrow morning if no agreement is reached. This airport handles between 70,000 and 80,000 passengers daily, translating to 25 to 28 million annually. The lack of a resolution in the conflict between the employers' association Spekter and the Norwegian Air Traffic Controllers' Union suggests continued travel turmoil.

“

Vestur-Noreg einkum verður illa úti vegna verkfallsins og bætir því við að farþegaflugi verði veittur forgangur svo fólk komist leiðar sinnar.