SAS scraps direct route between three cities

The latest news from Nordland / Lofoten over the past 48 hours has been dominated by SAS’s decision to end its direct service between Trondheim, Bodø and Tromsø in December. In Nordland, healthcare professionals are expressing concern, while Widerøe remains the sole direct operator between the three cities. In Lofoten, drones, a gastronomic price and a pier project are also on the regional agenda.

Nordland / Lofoten News: SAS Cuts the Trondheim–Bodø–Tromsø Route

The news broke on Tuesday: SAS will end its direct route between Trondheim, Bodø and Tromsø in December (NRK Nordland / Lofoten). According to the public broadcaster, Widerøe will then be the only airline offering direct flights between the 3 cities. Travellers choosing SAS or Norwegian will have to travel via Oslo (NRK Nordland / Lofoten).

For Kreftforeningen, this cut will affect access to healthcare. Ole Alexander Opdalshei, the association’s deputy secretary general, stresses that patients in Northern Norway must be assured of treatment equivalent to that available elsewhere in the country and that they depend on fast journeys between Bodø and Tromsø (NRK Nordland / Lofoten). He describes the situation as worrying for patients who are often very weakened (NRK Nordland / Lofoten).

Avisa Nordland reports that Widerøe sees opportunities following SAS’s withdrawal (Avisa Nordland). The regional newspaper does not provide details about how this possible adjustment will be made in its article published on Friday at 00:00. In any case, SAS’s cut comes in a Northern Norwegian network already reduced to a few direct routes.

In Lofoten: drones, gastronomy and mobilisation for the school

In Lofoten, the use of drones remains a sensitive issue. The mayor of Moskenes, Hanna Sverdrup, describes aircraft that hover outside windows or above terraces every day, and says she does not know what the recorded images are used for (NRK Nordland / Lofoten). She spoke after a meeting on Thursday with the head of the police anti-drone unit and the Pilotforbundet, held to find solutions (NRK Nordland / Lofoten). According to her, the main problem comes from tourists who are unfamiliar with Norwegian regulations and from restrictions that are not enforced (NRK Nordland / Lofoten).

On the economic and tourism front, Thon Lofoten won the award for the best gastronomic experience of the year, according to Lofotposten on Friday at 05h (Lofotposten). The same newspaper also announces a 120-metre pier project and the withdrawal of «Bonden», without providing further details in its headline (Lofotposten). Still in Lofoten, a torchlight demonstration was organised to defend the school; according to Lofotposten, the establishment would be kept as it is (Lofotposten).

Local governance: cooperating rather than merging

The government wants to give more money to municipalities that merge, but many local elected representatives prefer to share more tasks with their neighbours, according to a new survey (NRK Nordland / Lofoten). The debate also concerns the county of Nordland, where small municipalities must choose between mergers and inter-municipal cooperation. This approach is part of this week's Nordland / Lofoten news, although no definitive regional decision has been announced in the headlines reviewed.

📌 Local briefs

Narvik Hockey lost to Storhamar on Thursday at Storhamar’s home ground. The visitors took the lead after seven minutes through the Swede Tobias Åström, before Storhamar turned the game around; Narvik are second from bottom with 11 points from 14 matches (NRK Nordland / Lofoten).

The E6 south of Fauske will be closed intermittently from Monday 16 to Friday 20 November, during the daytime, near Tuva, just north of the Kvenflog tunnel. Statens vegvesen must secure the rock face with sprayed concrete; the first closure is scheduled for 08:30, with openings at 09:30, 11:00 and 12:30, followed by manually controlled traffic from 14:00 to 16:30 (NRK Nordland / Lofoten).

PST believes preparations should be made for acts of sabotage that could cause loss of life in Norway in the coming year, according to NRK Nordland / Lofoten and The Local Norway. The information remains national, but it is being picked up by the regional outlets consulted.

Traffic on the express boat has become the subject of internal tensions, according to Avisa Nordland: some passengers no longer believe the departures will be punctual (Avisa Nordland). Another outlet reports that an airline must pay 47,000 kroner after war-related problems on a journey to Bodø (Avisa Nordland).

Sources: NRK Nordland / Lofoten, Avisa Nordland, Lofotposten, The Local Norway — Period: 12 November 2026 and 13 November 2026