Denmark’s aviation safety oversight sharply criticised in long-withheld EU report

A 2021 inspection by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) found Denmark’s oversight of air traffic safety plagued by understaffing, unqualified inspectors, and systemic failures—yet the report was kept confidential until now, Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) reports.

The agency identified 13 critical deficiencies—nearly double the European average—during its autumn 2021 audit of Denmark’s compliance with EU aviation regulations. Among the most serious: only one inspector at the Danish Transport Authority possessed the full qualifications required to oversee the country’s nine EU-regulated airports. Inspectors also uncovered unmarked obstacles near runways, a 300-metre miscalculation in an official runway length, and rescue crews unfamiliar with emergency hand signals.

Paul Hulme Harrison, a safety expert and spokesperson for the IDA aviation network, called the findings “deeply concerning,” telling DR’s P1 Morgen that deficient oversight “undoubtedly reduces flight safety.” Kasper Svendsen, secretary of the Flight Personnel Union (FPU) and a former pilot, described the report as “shocking,” stressing that pilots and crew “must trust the data and oversight provided by our top authority.”

The Transport Authority, responsible for enforcing EU aviation rules, acknowledged the report’s severity but insisted safety levels “have remained high.” In a written response to DR, the agency noted it has since expanded its inspection team to 24 staff, with four now fully certified for EU airport oversight. Authorities attributed the delay in releasing the report to EU confidentiality rules, which require critiques to stay internal until resolved.

Both experts emphasised that despite the failures, Denmark’s aviation system retains multiple redundant safety layers. “This remains the safest form of transport in the world,” Svendsen said, urging the public not to avoid flying. Harrison added that while the report exposes “unacceptable gaps,” parallel safeguards—such as air traffic control and airline protocols—mitigate risks.

EASA’s original findings also included expired or incorrect airport certifications and inadequate verification of critical data supplied to pilots, such as braking distances—errors that could directly impact landing safety.