A powerful storm brought air traffic at Tromsø Airport to a complete standstill for periods on Sunday, with wind gusts reaching up to 50 metres per second and heavy rainfall forcing repeated closures of the runway. Airport operations were halted for over half an hour in the afternoon, and while brief weather windows allowed limited departures, conditions remained highly unstable with forecasts indicating worsening winds into the evening.
Airport manager Ivar Helsing Schrøen said several thousand passengers were affected, with nearly 12,000 travellers scheduled to pass through the airport on Sunday alone. The disruption was compounded by knock-on effects from Saturday’s cancellations, as rebooked passengers added to congestion in the terminal. Runway clearing, intermittent snow and rain showers, and the need to repeatedly suspend operations led to significant delays and cancellations throughout the day.
All available airport staff were called in, and the disruption is expected to continue into Monday. Passengers described overcrowding and long queues at check-in and security, while airport management warned that the weather outlook remains poor and the situation will need to be closely monitored.