Climate change seems likely to force the closure of Kangerlussuaq Airport for commercial flights within the next five years, as the melting of permafrost is cracking the facility's runway, Euronews has said.
A large proportion of Greenland is covered by an ice sheet. However, global warming is causing it to melt faster than originally thought, including the permafrost, which is a layer of usually frozen solid soil underneath the runway.
To compensate for this environmental impact on airport operations, the Greenlandic authorities are building a new facility. "They are constructing a new airport in Nuuk and in the north...and the Danish Airforce will take over responsibility for this airport," said Kangerlussuaq Airport Manager Peter Høgh.
Air Greenland (GL, Nuuk) is the only airline currently offering services from Kangerlussuaq, with domestic flights to six destinations on the island, as well as a 4x weekly service to Copenhagen Kastrup.
