State Secretary Karlsen: - Air traffic to Svalbard is not changed

- Existing air traffic to Svalbard is not affected by the change, and today’s arrangement with charter traffic from abroad will be remain as it is, says State Secretary Tom Cato Karlsen of the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Just before the weekend, the public learned of the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications’ having downgraded Svalbard airport from ‘international’ to ‘national’. The decision was met with both surprise and frustration in Longyearbyen.

A significant development

State Secretary Tom Cato Karlsen of the Ministry of Transport and Communications says in an email to High North News that changing the airport’s status must be seen in the context of the significant development in traffic that has taken place since Svalbard airport received its international status in 1975.

- Svalbard airport does not meet the international regulations for what constitutes an international airport. Therefore the government has decided to change Svalbard airport’s status from ‘international airport’ to ‘national airport’, Karlsen writes.

Not dimensioned

The State Secretary refers to a press statement published on the National Aviation Authorities’ website and information provided there saying that establishing a control regime dimensioned for international scheduled traffic on Svalbard airport would require significant resources, both with regards to personnel and infrastructure.

- As for the question about the positions with the Svalbard Governor, we would like to add that these positions may relieve some of the needs that already exist as of today, stemming from the traffic to the mainland as well as direct charter flights from abroad.

Requires significant resources

However, a sufficient and responsible presence on scheduled flights from abroad would require quite different and vastly bigger resources, both when it comes to infrastructure and personnel, the Department writes.

Tom Cato Karlsen points out that the government wants to facilitate sustainable development of tourism at Svalbard that contributes to supporting the goals of Norway’s Svalbard policy.

- There are still good opportunities to further develop tourism and travel products at Svalbard, even though the status of the airport has changed. Existing air traffic is not affected by the change, and today’s arrangements with charter traffic from abroad will continue like before, Karlsen says in closing in his email.