extension of runways to cater for more tourists

To support economic growth and increasing tourism in Greenland, the Government of Greenland has decided to expand the existing airports in Nuuk and Ilulissat and build a new domestic airport in Qaqortoq.

The existing runways in the west of Greenland will be extended from 950 to 2,220 metres in Nuuk and from 845 to 2,200 metres in Ilulissat. The extension means that the airports will be able to take larger aircrafts such as the Airbus A330 with up to 300 passengers. The plan also includes a new domestic airport with a 1,500 metre runway in Qaqortoq in the south of Greenland.

At all three airports it will be necessary to blast away rocks to make space for the construction work. The rubble will be reused as filler and surfacing material for the runways. This will avoid the need to remove the heavy rocks, which are perfect building material that can withstand the large temperature fluctuations in Greenland.