Airspace Over Aalborg Airport Temporarily Closed Due to Unconfirmed Drone Sightings
On Sunday evening, the skies above Aalborg Airport were put on hold amid concerns over suspected drone activity. The closure lasted just over an hour, with Naviair’s press officer, Jan Eliassen, announcing the reopening shortly before 11:30 p.m.
Naviair, the Danish air navigation service, plays a crucial role in ensuring the safe passage of aircraft in and out of the nation’s airspace. Eliassen stated, “It has been decided to permit take-offs and landings once again.” However, specifics regarding the activity that prompted the initial closure remain unclear, as he offered no further details about the nature of the concerns leading to the airspace’s status change.
Later that evening, the North Jutland Police took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to confirm they were aware of reports suggesting that one or more drones might have been spotted near the airport. “Our officers are investigating the area intensively,” the police stated, underscoring their commitment to ensuring safety.
As dawn broke on Monday, Morten Axelsen, the on-duty head at North Jutland Police, noted that their operations at the scene wrapped up around 1:40 a.m. He clarified that it remains uncertain whether any drones were actually present in the airspace. “We have neither confirmed nor denied whether it was drones that were observed,” he explained, leaving some questions still swirling in the air.
According to Kim Bermann, Aalborg Airport’s deputy and operations director, the airspace was closed at approximately 10:10 p.m. “I just received a call from our duty officer indicating that Naviair had shut down operations due to unspecified activity that raised concerns,” Bermann told Nordjyske on Sunday night.
As a result of the closure, a KLM flight from Amsterdam was diverted to Billund Airport, and according to the airport’s website, two flights from Copenhagen—an SAS flight scheduled for 10:10 p.m. and a Norwegian flight at 10:15 p.m.—were affected, with the SAS flight ultimately being canceled.
This incident has once again highlighted the ongoing challenges authorities face in regulating airspace amid the increasing prevalence of drone technology.
— Ritzau