Avinor sets September 2027 opening for new Mo i Rana airport

Avinor has confirmed that the new Mo i Rana/Helgeland Arctic Circle Airport will open on 30 September 2027, bringing the project forward by nine months after earlier delays.

The revised timeline follows efforts to recover from setbacks linked to construction challenges, including difficult ground conditions in Fagerlia and an expanded project scope. Avinor said significant progress has been made, though not all delays have been fully mitigated.

The airport is expected to be technically completed by February 2027, when Avinor will assume control from contractor AF Gruppen. This will mark the start of an extensive operational readiness and transition (ORAT) phase ahead of the opening.

Key preparations will include certification of airport infrastructure and operations, development of procedures and emergency systems, staff recruitment and training, and full-scale operational testing. Air traffic management systems will also undergo certification, with the airport set to rely on a digital control tower, a central component that must be fully operational before launch.

Testing of the digital tower is scheduled to begin in February 2027 and continue through to the opening date. The transition will also involve the planned closure of the existing Mo i Rana Airport, Røssvoll.

Once operational, the new airport is expected to handle current traffic levels while accommodating larger aircraft, supporting both regional connectivity and future traffic growth in northern Norway.