Gardermoen stengt for trafikk: – Jeg har pakket bagen full av mat

Gardermoen, the airport in Norway, was shut down for traffic between 6:30 AM and 11:30 AM on Saturday due to a strike between the Union Spekter and air traffic controllers. The strike began after the parties failed to reach an agreement with Riksmekleren. Many people were sitting in the waiting areas of the arrival hall, many of them sleeping on their bags. Air traffic control personnel were also present preparing for departures to Paris for a cycling and wine tasting tour in France.

Johannes Jensen, a 21-year-old student, had come to Gardermoen from Trondheim the previous night on a night bus. He decided not to wait for his flight to Oslo, which would have allowed him to continue to Istanbul where he is set to begin his studies next year. Instead, he decided to spend the day waiting for his later flight and packed his bag with food to sustain him.

The Norwegian Air Traffic Controllers Union was on strike since an agreement could not be reached with Spekter. Air traffic controllers manage air traffic in the sky and some were planning a combined cycling and wine tasting tour in France. Kåre Moljord and Atle Søvik were among those who took a break to discuss the strike. The strike began on Friday night, causing disruptions for several days, including at Flesland Airport in Vestlandet, where regular passenger traffic is expected to be affected.