The airport consists of a gravel runway and apron measuring 90 by 40 meters (300 by 130 ft) and a small terminal building.

Flights are flown to Barentsburg Heliport, Heerodden and Svalbard Airport, Longyear at irregular intervals.

The airport opened in 1961 to allow Aeroflot to commence flights between Barentsburg and Pyramiden using Mil Mi-4 aircraft.

Arktikugol commenced flights on Svalbard in 1961, at first operating a shuttle service between their two remaining mining towns, Barentsburg and Pyramiden.

After 1974 the Soviet Union stated that the regulations were in violation of the Svalbard Treaty allowing free shipping.

[1] Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, subsidies and resources allocated to Svalbard and Arktikugol were diminished.

[12] The helicopter was en route from Longyearbyen to Pyramiden with a crew of three and no passengers with the intent of flying employees to catch an Aeroflot flight to Moscow.

[13] The pilot lost visual references during the landing, which was carried out during difficult weather conditions.