The report stated building a 1,200-metre (3,900 ft) long runway was fully possible, and wind conditions in the area were good, with little fog.

[7] When the plan was published for consultative statements, several environmental groups protested; for instance, Nature and Youth stated that a heliport would suffice.

The Norwegian Public Roads Administration also protested, as the airport could be in conflict with a planned floating bridge across Stokksundet.

Compared to Sørstokken, Meatjørn could only have a 1,000-metre (3,300 ft) long runway, but could use existing roads and a new fire station for the municipality could be co-located at the airport.

[10] In October 1981, a de Havilland Canada Twin Otter flown by Widerøe performed a simulated landing at Meatjørn.

[13] A new airport committee was established in March 1983, which had representatives from the large industrial companies and the municipalities of Stord, Bømlo and Fitjar.

The company estimated the investment costs to NOK 25.5 million and stated that their immediate goal was to build an airport and not necessarily to initially establish scheduled services.

Fonnafly, a sea plane airline based in Kvinnherad, stated that they planned to establish a fleet of six to eight seat aircraft at Sørstokken.

[20] Norving made a formal application to the Ministry of Transport and Communications to fly from Bergen Airport, Flesland via Sørstokken to Fornebu twice per day.

Their estimates showed an average 36 passengers per year on the route from Stord to Oslo, and they planned to use Cessna 441 Conquest aircraft.

[24] The airport had no rights for any state grants, so the company had to raise additional capital to cover operating expenses and pay the NOK 2.5 million the instrument landing system cost.

[25] They succeeded in convincing Minister of Transport and Communications, Kjell Borgen, to establish a flight from Sørstokken via Skien Airport, Geiteryggen, to Fornebu.

[27] The instrument landing system was operational from 1 August 1986 and on 12 August Coast Aero Center started their two routes,[28] using a ten-seat Beechcraft Super King 200[29] One week later, the ministry changed the concession for the Oslo and Skien route, so it was also awarded to Coast Aero Center.

By November the Norwegian Civil Aviation Administration had approved the landing lights and other upgrades to the instrument system,[30] which cost NOK 3.9 million, causing the airport to have to borrow money.

The Ministry of Justice stated that the airport was too close to Flesland, Haugesund and Sola to have permanent status, but allowed the chief-of-police to give dispensations for individual flights from 1988.

However, the airport lacks sufficient apron, duel storage, fire service and other safety measures which were required by the helicopter operators.

[38] However, the company attempted to secure capital for further operations, and not until April did Coast Aero Center inform the Ministry of Transport that they would waive their concessions.

[44] In early 1992, Air Stord started a route to Stavanger, which corresponded with the morning departures to London and Aberdeen in the United Kingdom.

[44] In August, Air Stord's concessions were upgraded, so they were allowed use aircraft with more than ten seats, but were at the time required to not cancel flights without due reason.

A unanimous committee chose to give a NOK 1 million grant to build a new terminal and no longer require the airport to follow the Civil Aviation Administration's fees, allowing it to set its own.

[51] In November 1995, Widerøe stated that they were willing to fly from Sørstokken to Oslo, in cooperation with Air Stord, using de Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft, with 37 or 50 seats.

[50] During March and April 1996, Sørstokken had its first regular helicopter flights, operated by Norsk Helikopter, as Aker had been contracted to dismount the oil platform at Odin.

[56] From January 1998, Coast Air started flights once a week from Skien Airport, Geiteryggen via Stavanger and Stord to Bergen, using a British Aerospace Jetstream.

[61] The decreased traffic caused the airport to reduce the plans for the size of the new terminal, cutting it to 350 square metres (3,800 sq ft) and a cost of NOK 10 million.

To save NOK 600,000 in conjuncture tax, it was decided that the terminal would be built by the municipality, as it would then be regarded as a public, rather than private, investment.

[69] Teddy Air terminated its operations on 17 August 2004, stating that they were not making any money on the routes, and had not at any point during the five years they had served the airport.

[72] From 20 November 2007, Coast Air started with two weekly flights to Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport in Poland, targeting Polish foreign workers.

[74] With the fall of Coast Air, Stord Airport was without any scheduled routes and income, and lost NOK 350,000 per month until a new service was in place.

The company collected NOK 2.5 million in capital from local businesses, and used it to wet lease aircraft to operate the route.

[85] Haugesund is located in competing Rogaland fylke, whose airport also got financial troubles in COVID years, but their region will have to solve it.