On January 10th, significant restrictions on air traffic at Reykjavík Airport were announced. These restrictions involve the closure of two runways during nighttime due to the impact of vegetation on approach and departure surfaces.

The Icelandic Air Ambulance Center expresses serious concerns regarding these restrictions, as unrestricted access for air ambulances to Reykjavík Airport is, in many cases, a matter of life and death for critically ill and injured patients from large parts of the country.

Each year, between 950 and 1,000 patients are transported by air ambulance, with approximately 630–650 flights destined for Reykjavík. In about 45% of cases, these are patients in urgent need of emergency care at Landspítali University Hospital, including those requiring time-sensitive interventions such as treatment for acute coronary artery blockages, strokes, and high-energy trauma. In such cases, patients' conditions are so critical that prolonged transport times—resulting from diversion to Keflavík Airport—can significantly reduce their survival chances or recovery prospects.

For non-urgent cases, it is clear that these restrictions on the use of Reykjavík Airport will severely impact patients' access to healthcare services from rural areas, as well as the ability to discharge patients from Landspítali.

Data on air ambulance operations in 2024 shows that at least 15% of air ambulance flights to and from Reykjavík Airport occur during nighttime, with a significant portion relying on the now-closed runways.

It is therefore evident that the closure of these runways will affect the recovery prospects and survival rates of dozens of patients each year, contradicting laws ensuring equal access to healthcare services.

The Icelandic Air Ambulance Center urges Reykjavík City and other relevant authorities to explore all possible solutions to resolve this issue.

The Icelandic Air Ambulance Center includes:

• Akureyri Fire Department

• Akureyri Hospital

• Norlandair

For further information, please contact:

• Gunnar Rúnar Ólafsson

  Fire Chief of Akureyri Fire Department, Tel: 893-0674

• Chris Wolffensperger

  Chief Anesthesiologist and Intensive Care Specialist at Akureyri Hospital, Tel: 860-0589