5:30 pm on Wednesday morning would the first aircraft relieved and landed at Bergen Airport, Flesland. But the snowfall last night meant that it first happened clock 08.33.
The airport was closed for three hours, and at least 45 departures and arrivals were canceled or postponed.
When planes were standing or not able to land, it created also trouble for passengers at other airports. The delays propagate throughout the day.
– It will probably take a few hours before we are completely back to normal operation. The airlines omrokerer as best they can, but it will probably become part rebooking and cancellations, says Øystein Skaar, operational manager at Avinor at the airport.
meteorologist: 4-6 centimeters of snow
after a quick calculation based on rainfall measurements and temperatures, estimates duty meteorologist at weather prediction in western Norway, Anders Sivle, it came 4-6 centimeters of snow at the airport between midnight and 08:30.
in social media expressing more wonder that it meant that the airport was closed.
Sent plowing crews home
the reason for the closure was low staffing in winter preparedness, coupled with heavy snow showers in the 05 o’clock and unfortunate temperature conditions, explains the operational manager.
– Weather forecasts yesterday was unsafe. Yr reported rain and storm knocked sleet, and then came the snow. We had winter emergency crews at work to clock 04 at night, but they had to be sent home because of overtime rules. Then we got a period in the middle of the night where we were any less, before new crews could be called in, says Øystein Skaar.
– Is not it a bit odd to have a period of low staffing during the period when morning traffic starts?
– no, not really. Winter Preparedness has not fully, all day, all winter. We do summonses when we see that the weather forecasts indicate. When it came very much snow in 05 o’clock in the night, we had not so much manpower to work as we should have had, says Skaar.
cHALLENGING: – Several unfortunate circumstances made this an incredibly challenging situation, says Øystein Skaar, operational manager at Avinor at the airport. Photo: Kjell Joran Hansen / NRK
– the situation took control
This led to hectic hours before the new crew came to work in 07 era.
– The situation took a little over. Those who were at work to bring all areas of the airport, and there are quite a few square meters. In addition, the temperature was so we got a glazed film that made it difficult to create sufficient friction, says Skaar.
He says situations like today is rare at the airport.
– one may then wonder if you occasionally have to accept that the weather conditions are actually allowing the airport to be closed, says Skaar.
He is nevertheless clear that Avinor should handled the situation better.
– Usually Bergen airport very good preparedness, but in this situation we do not manage to deliver what we should. It is clear that a closure of three hours is regrettable towards the travelers, says Skaar.
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