At nearly 78° north, Svalbard Airport, Longyearbyen (LYR), stands as one of aviation’s true extremes. Situated just a few hundred kilometers from the North Pole, it’s the world’s northernmost airport with scheduled commercial flights. Tourists come for breathtaking polar landscapes, scientists conduct research in the barren environment. And the polar bears? Well, they mostly wander about.
The history of Svalbard airport
In the early 20th century, the Svalbard archipelago served as a launch point for Arctic expeditions and airship flights. Among them was legendary Italian aviator Umberto Nobile, who in 1926 piloted the airship Norge over the North Pole.
The immediate predecessor to today’s airport came in the shape of a simple airstrip, constructed by the German Luftwaffe amidst the burning World War II. Activity remained scarce after the war, with most aircraft preferring to airdrop whatever contents they carried to the isolated inhabitants. Ideas of a more modern solution were entertained but kept facing resistance, characterized by Cold War era logic. The Svalbard Treaty of 1920 heavily restricts military usage of the area, and the Soviet Union was cautious—couldn’t a civilian airfield also be used by NATO aircraft? While the answer technically was yes, an airlink to supply Soviet mining outposts such as Pyramiden was also needed. In the end, practicalities won Moscow over, and construction got the green light.
The first shovels hit the rock hard permafrost in 1973 and roughly a year later, the first aircraft touched down at the newly constructed airport. The official opening however had to wait until a brisk (we assume) autumn day in 1975. Somewhat frequent routes commenced, primarily operated by SAS and Aeroflot.
Keeping an arctic airport running
Running an airport this far north naturally presents challenges. The runway and taxiways are built on a layer of insulated gravel and permafrost, designed to remain frozen year-round to prevent subsidence. Temperatures can drop below –30 °C (–22 °F) in winter.
Even daylight is seasonal. From late October to mid-February, the sun never rises. Come April through August, it never sets. This dramatic contrast means that lighting systems, navigation aids, and de-icing procedures must all be adapted for Arctic extremes. All of this is a costly endeavor, which is why the Norwegian authorities in 2017 decided that Svalbard airport wouldn’t receive international flights any longer. Upholding infrastructure to facilitate this simply was deemed too costly, and the airport overnight re-labeled as a domestic gateway.
Given the Svalbard agreement, Russian aircraft theoretically are the exception to this rule. But in an elegant exception to the exception, all Russian aircraft are in fact forbidden to use Svalbard airport. The reason of course being Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Life and landings at Svalbard airport
Flying in this Arctic environment is no picnic either. Johan von Schantz is an experienced captain with SAS Link and has, during the long course of his career, flown in and out of Svalbard airport on many occasions.
Flying into Longyearbyen is always special, the environment itself brings its share of challenges. On a calm day, landing there can be an almost serene experience. Quiet and uneventful, which of course is good. But the next approach might greet you with turbulence that makes you feel like you’re inside a spinning washing machine. Add to that blowing snow and polar darkness. Then there’s the fact that it is an isolated aerodrome. If you can’t land, the closest viable alternate airport is 90 minutes away. You just have to be prepared for anything and everything.
Flights you can track on Flightradar24
Despite its remote location, Svalbard Airport connects regularly with mainland Norway. Currently, two airlines operate scheduled services—SAS (SK/SAS) and Norwegian (DY/NOZ). Both fly from and to the Norwegian capital Oslo as well as Tromsø, a somewhat remote city in northern Norway.
Typical aircraft to expect are Boeing 737’s and Airbus 320’s, with helicopters often seen making their rounds. Occasionally, you might also spot charter, cargo, or research flights, often operated by Lufttransport or Norwegian Air Force aircraft supporting the Svalbard satellite station and the odd polar expedition.
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