Old Båtsfjord Airport

Replacement by a new, modern airport. The old airport was a simple, short gravel airstrip that was inadequate for the scheduled regional airline services required for the community. The Norwegian government and Avinor constructed the new Båtsfjord Airport (ENBS) with a paved runway, modern navigation aids, and a proper terminal to accommodate STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft like the Dash 8. The opening of the new airport on May 1, 1999, made the old airfield obsolete, leading to its immediate closure for aviation purposes.

The site of the former airport is now repurposed as a motorsport venue known as Båtsfjord Motorbane. The old gravel runway is used by the local motor club, NMK Båtsfjord, for activities such as drag racing, car meets, and driver training. The outline of the original runway is still clearly visible on satellite imagery, but it is no longer maintained for aviation and serves solely as a recreational area for motorsports.

The Old Båtsfjord Airport was the first airfield to serve the remote fishing community of Båtsfjord. Established around 1972 through local initiative, it was a vital lifeline before the town was connected to the national STOL airport network. Operations were primarily handled by air taxi companies like Norving and Varangfly (a predecessor to parts of Widerøe), using small aircraft such as the Britten-Norman Islander and Cessna 207. The airport facilitated essential services including ambulance flights, mail delivery, freight, and passenger transport to other hubs in Finnmark like Kirkenes and Vadsø, especially during harsh winters when road access could be unreliable. Its historical significance lies in demonstrating the critical need for air transport in the region, which ultimately led to the political decision and funding for the construction of the modern airport.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Old Båtsfjord Airport for aviation. The community is served by the modern and fully operational Båtsfjord Airport (ENBS), which is located just 2.5 km to the west and is integrated into Norway's state-owned airport network. The old site does not meet any modern aviation safety or infrastructure standards and has been permanently repurposed for non-aviation use.