Oslo Gardermoen Airport reopens but Norway ATC strike still cancels 139 flights

Disruption overview

Flights restarted at Oslo Gardermoen Airport at about 11:30 am on 23 August 2026 after a five-hour shutdown linked to Norway’s ongoing air traffic controller strike. Even after the reopening, the official schedule still showed 139 canceled flight legs by early evening, including 48 flights that were due to operate after service resumed. Because the disruption comes from an external strike outside the airlines’ control, EC 261 compensation is unlikely in most cases, but airlines should still provide care, rebooking, or refunds where needed.

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Disruption details

Scheduled flights resumed at Oslo Gardermoen Airport at about 11:30 am on 23 August 2026 after a five-hour shutdown caused by Norway’s ongoing air traffic controller strike. For passengers, that meant a morning of grounded flights, long waits, and continued uncertainty even after the airport reopened.

Norway’s busiest airport had halted all scheduled movements at 6:30 am while Avinor Flysikring operated with reduced staffing. The first departure after the closure left at 11:36 am, and the first arrival followed at 11:43 am, but the return to normal service was always going to be slow.

Airport director Jan-Gunnar Pedersen said traffic would be phased back in gradually, and the scale of the disruption was still clear by early evening:

• The official schedule showed 139 canceled flight legs, made up of 75 departures and 64 arrivals.

• A further 48 of those cancellations were for flights due to operate after the airport had technically reopened.

• Norwegian Air Shuttle accounted for 64 canceled movements, SAS Scandinavian Airlines 47, and Widerøe 6.

That matters because reopening the airport did not bring an immediate return to normal operations. Aircraft and passengers were still being processed through a reduced-capacity system, so delays and cancellations continued to ripple through the day’s schedule.

The biggest hit fell on Norwegian Air Shuttle, which later said around 9,000 passengers were affected on Sunday alone. Oslo Gardermoen had previously been expected to handle 95,521 passengers on 23 August, one of its busiest summer travel days, so the disruption reached far beyond the flights that were fully canceled.

The strike itself began on Saturday, 22 August 2026, when 12 controllers walked out in a dispute over working-time rules, solo-shift breaks, instructor duties, and career-stage policies. Avinor and employer association Spekter have also said that salary-related elements were rejected. Talks are due to resume under national mediation at 8:00 am on Monday, 24 August 2026, but both sides say the strike remains in place until further notice.

The impact has not been limited to Oslo. On Saturday evening, airspace serving Bergen Airport Flesland and Stavanger Airport Sola was closed from 6:45 pm to 10:20 pm. More than 300 passengers ended up spending the night in Bergen’s terminal, where Avinor provided camp beds and opened extra seating beyond security.

Some traffic is still being prioritized, including search-and-rescue, ambulance, police, and military flights, followed by scheduled airline and offshore helicopter services. Even with Oslo back open, overall airspace capacity in Norway remains reduced, and Avinor is warning of leftover delays at Oslo and Bergen on Monday.

More disruption could follow on Tuesday, 25 August 2026, when the strike is set to expand to include 8 additional controllers. The next phase is expected to target Tromsø Airport and en-route sectors over central and northern Norway. If you’re due to fly in the next couple of days, it’s worth checking with your airline before you head to the airport.

Because this disruption was caused by an external air traffic control strike outside the airlines’ control, compensation under EC 261 is unlikely for most affected passengers. That doesn’t mean you’re without support, though. If your flight was canceled or your journey was heavily delayed, your airline should still help with rebooking or refunds, food and drinks during long waits, and accommodation and transport if you were stranded overnight. If you want to understand what applies to your trip, AirHelp’s free flight checker is a simple place to start.

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