Hundreds stranded overnight at Bergen Airport as air traffic controllers’ strike escalates

Hundreds of passengers were forced to spend Saturday night at Bergen Airport after an air traffic controllers’ strike caused widespread cancellations and left hotels across the Bergen region fully booked.

Avinor estimated that between 300 and 500 travellers would remain overnight in the terminal. The airport provided additional seating and water, while the Red Cross supplied blankets and camp beds. Some local residents also offered stranded passengers accommodation.

The airspace serving Bergen and Stavanger was closed to ordinary commercial traffic between 18:45 and 22:20 on Saturday. Only priority operations, including air ambulances, police helicopters and military flights, were permitted. More than 70 flights were reportedly cancelled at Norway’s largest airports during the day.

Greater disruption is expected on Sunday, when Oslo Gardermoen will close to passenger traffic between 06:30 and 11:30. Norwegian has cancelled 72 flights affecting around 9,000 passengers, including domestic services and flights to numerous European destinations. Knock-on delays and cancellations are expected throughout the day and across Norway.

The dispute began on Friday when 12 members of the Norwegian Air Traffic Controllers’ Association went on strike following failed mediation with employers’ organisation Spekter. The union says the conflict concerns rest breaks, working conditions, career-stage policies and instructor duties rather than pay.

Public mediator Mats Ruland said there was currently no basis for renewed talks. The union has meanwhile announced a possible escalation on Tuesday, 25 August, involving eight additional controllers. This would directly affect Tromsø Airport and airspace across central and northern Norway, in addition to airports already experiencing disruption.

Passengers who have not received a cancellation notice are advised to travel to the airport as scheduled and monitor messages from their airline and updates from Avinor.