EASA-widening Arlanda Airport

Widening of taxiways at Arlanda Airport, runway 1

Swedavia operates ten airports in Sweden, of which Arlanda Airport, just outside Stockholm, is the largest and busiest. In May 2023, NYAB Mälardalen was commissioned by Swedavia to widen the taxiways for the main runway at Arlanda, runway 1. The project was a part of the ongoing development to increase capacity and receive larger aircraft.

The project, which took place over twelve intensive weeks, was carried out in close connection to ongoing air traffic and was characterized by high complexity and a fast pace.

“Airport projects always come with special conditions and challenges. Security measures need to be taken into account before and during the project, and it is important to be prepared for change and to be able to adapt when it does happen. By facing potential challenges and obstacles as a team, we delivered a result that met our and the customer’s high expectations”, says Victor Tanndal, work manager, NYAB Mälardalen.

Victor Tanndal was the head of the organization, which in total consisted of 60-70 involved employees and subcontractors at the project site.

The widening of the curves is following the current requirements of the European Aviation Safety Authority – EASA, whose requirements gave the project its name.

“As we had a deadline of 12 weeks, our work needed to be defined by high precision and efficiency. Especially when you have to carry out much work on a limited surface. Being able to plan and coordinate all of our work was the key factor to succeeding”, explains Victor.

With the new taxiway, the airport takes another step to meet future safety and capacity requirements. Despite a fast pace, changed conditions, and limited time, NYAB finished the project according to schedule and with high quality.

“The project has been critical for our operations. NYAB carried out a large amount of work in a short period of time, and the biggest challenge has been keeping up to the deadline and working closely to the taxiway next to it. We are delighted with the result that NYAB has delivered. The organization has been solution-oriented and demonstrated high flexibility”, says Daniel Nilsson, Swedavia project manager.

“I would like to thank Swedavia for the trust and my colleagues for a job well done. Together, we have built a highly skilled organization with passion and experience, and where everyone believes in prestigeless collaborations. It bodes well for the future”, concludes Victor Tanndal.