COPENHAGEN, Denmark — October 27, 2026 — Update to our October 24 report. Copenhagen Airport (CPH) now says the tighter security checks behind last week’s long queues could keep slowing passengers at busy times through the coming weekend and into next week. The airport has added staff at the checkpoints, but no end date has been set.
What’s new
- On Monday afternoon, October 26, the airport warned that passengers could face longer security waits during busy periods over the weekend, and that the delays could continue into the following week. It did not give expected wait times or an end date (TBA).
- The airport says it has brought in extra staff to manage the queues while keeping the stricter security standards in place.
- Communications director Lise Agerley Kürstein said the airport is “doing everything we can to get passengers through security control as quickly as possible.”
- The extra measures followed an inspection by Trafikstyrelsen, the Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority. Neither the airport nor the authority has said what prompted the inspection. The airport told Danish broadcaster DR that the measures were not caused by external factors.
- Trafikstyrelsen will decide when normal security operations can resume, or whether the airport must change its procedures permanently. Date: TBA.
How we got here
- Long queues on Thursday evening, October 22, and Friday morning, October 23, caused hundreds of missed flights.
- SAS said at least 352 of its passengers were rebooked after missing flights.
- Norwegian said about 200 passengers missed flights on Thursday and 30 more on Friday, and offered rebooking.
Recommended arrival times
| Flight type | Arrive at the airport at least |
|---|---|
| Within the Schengen Area | 2 hours before departure |
| Outside the Schengen Area | 3 hours before departure |
| How long this advice applies | TBA (into next week, per the airport) |
The airport and airlines also ask passengers to follow their own airline’s recommendations.
What it means for non-revs
- Use the full recommended times. Plan on two hours for Schengen flights and three hours for non-Schengen flights, and add more at weekend peaks. On standby you need to be at the gate when your name is called, so a long security line can cost you a seat even if the flight has room.
- Expect tighter loads on later flights. When ticketed passengers miss flights in the queues and are rebooked, they fill seats on later SAS and Norwegian departures that standby travelers might otherwise get. Check loads close to departure and have a backup flight in mind.
- Pick quieter times if you can. The airport’s warning is about busy periods, so off-peak departures and weekdays are the better bet while the extra checks stay in place.
- Watch for an end date. Trafikstyrelsen has not said when normal screening will return, so check the airport’s updates before each trip through CPH.
Sources
- The Copenhagen Post (Ritzau), “Copenhagen Airport warns of continued security delays into next week” — cphpost.dk
- The Copenhagen Post (Ritzau), “Hundreds of passengers rebooked after long queues at Copenhagen Airport” — cphpost.dk
Get NonRev Travel News by email
ADVERTISEMENT
A weekly recap newsletter, sent out every Sunday, with the airline, airport, cruise and travel-warning news that matters to airline employees and retirees. Free.
Subscribe free
