It was established in 1991[2] to serve Qaanaaq and neighboring communities because Thule Air Base in Pituffik is not open for regular passenger traffic.

Air Greenland operates government contract flights to villages in the Qaanaaq region.

[4] Departure times for these flights as specified during booking are by definition approximate, with the settlement service optimized on the fly depending on local demand for a given day.

Travellers bound for Thule Air Base in Pituffik are required to apply for transfer permit from either Rigsombudsmanden in Nuuk (residents of Greenland), or the Danish Foreign Ministry (all others).

The same rules apply for transfers at Pituffik, including a stopover on the way from Qaanaaq to Savissivik.