Isavia says Djúpivogur runway is still usable

Isavia says the runway at Djúpivogur in eastern Iceland is usable, contradicting a proposal to turn it into a track, mbl.is reports.

Sigrún Jakobsdóttir, Isavia’s director of domestic airports, said the runway was not unusable. It has a valid operating licence from the Icelandic Transport Authority and is listed in Iceland’s aviation manual, she said. Although air traffic has been very low in recent years, the landing site is open to anyone who wants to use it.

Morgunblaðið reported the previous day that Djúpavogur’s local committee had proposed converting the runway into a track, saying it had been unusable for years.

Jakobsdóttir said the runway was damaged in a storm several years ago and repaired afterward. However, no funding has been planned for further development or maintenance in the coming years, and neither the aviation community nor the municipality has made specific requests for such work, she said.

Isavia has been working closely with Múlaþing municipality to find a solution for how the area should be used that works for all parties, according to Jakobsdóttir.