CPH Airport postpones axing runway following intense criticism

Passenger figures rose considerably last year compared to 2015

Following intense criticism from a number of airlines, Copenhagen Airport will postpone the planned closing down of its cross-wind runway as part of its comprehensive expansion project Expanding CPH.

Instead, it will temporarily relocate the runway to another part of the airport’s grounds before fully axing it at a later date.

“Some airlines have expressed concern about the closure of the cross-wind runway in about five years’ time. We’ve therefore decided to invest around 300 million kroner in moving the cross-wind runway so that it can remain operational until such time as it becomes necessary to build on the whole runway,” said Thomas Woldbye, the CEO of CPH Airport.

“This is a major investment, but one we’re willing to make for our customers. This will keep the negative consequences at a minimum. However, we will need to fully close the moved cross-wind runway once the airport is handling 40 million passengers a year.”

READ MORE: CPH Airport expansion plans hit SAS turbulence

Hundreds of cancellations
Scandinavian airline SAS contended late last year that closing the runway cross-section, from which planes can take off and land under particularly windy conditions, would lead to the airport being closed about 25 times per year – resulting in about 500 cancelled flights and even more delays for SAS alone.

At the time, the airport contended that the move, which is part of its big plans to increase its annual passenger capacity from 26.6 to 40 million, would only result in 60 cancellations per year.

Passenger numbers up
In related news, over 29 million people passed through Copenhagen Airport in 2016 – a 9.1 percent increase compared to the previous year.

The passenger windfall was particularly boosted by a 2.3 million increase in international travellers.




  • Greenland, Danish life science, and the future of US-Danish relations

    Greenland, Danish life science, and the future of US-Danish relations

    The US is the biggest market for the Danish life science industry, the country’s currently most important. Despite the situation, Denmark is not alone. There is also room for compromise, and promises of such jobs and additional investments are likely to at least reduce the tensions in US-Danish trade relations.

  • The internationals who created an app to make friends in Denmark  

    The internationals who created an app to make friends in Denmark  

    A team of young internationals has created an app that is helping their peers connect and build friendships in Denmark, addressing the challenges of social integration.

  • New documentary stirs debate in Denmark and Greenland 

    New documentary stirs debate in Denmark and Greenland 

    The documentary Greenland’s White Gold, reveals the worth of cryolite mining in Greenland to be in the billions. Over the years its value has been undermined, despite it acting like a gold mine for the Danish state. 

  • Today is 10 years from Copenhagen terrorist attack

    Today is 10 years from Copenhagen terrorist attack

    On February 14 and 15, the last terrorist attack took place in Denmark. Another episode occurred in 2022, but in that case, there was no political motive behind it

  • Enter Christiania: how the Freetown works

    Enter Christiania: how the Freetown works

    We all know Christiania and have been there at least once. But how does the Freetown work? How are decisions made? Can a person move there? Is there rent or bills to pay? British journalist Dave Wood wrote a reportage on Christiania for The Copenhagen Post.

  • The struggles of Asian women in Denmark’s labour market

    The struggles of Asian women in Denmark’s labour market

    Isha Thapa unfolds her research “An Analysis on the Inclusivity and Integration of South Asian Women in High-Skilled Jobs within the Danish Labor Market”. Thapa describes the systemic and social challenges these women face, ranging from barriers in social capital to cultural integration.