Flights can be delayed for all kinds of reasons, ranging from mechanical issues, to bad weather, to ATC limitations. However, here’s a new one, at least for me, as flagged by JonNYC…
In this post:
Nuuk security staff skip work to go reindeer hunting
This summer, United Airlines is operating a pretty awesome seasonal route between Newark (EWR) and Nuuk, Greenland (GOH). The 1,849-mile flight operates twice weekly with a Boeing 737 MAX 8. While it usually operates pretty reliably, the service on Sunday, August 3, 2025, was an exception.
According to a Reddit user, the flight was delayed by roughly three hours because security personnel didn’t show up for work. It wasn’t because they went on strike, or something along those lines. Instead, it was because reindeer hunting season had just started, so everyone was out hunting rather than working.
The flight was initially scheduled to depart Nuuk at 9AM and arrive in Newark at 10:30AM (both times local). Instead, the flight ended up taking off at 12:13PM, and landing in Newark at 1:45PM, so it operated a bit more than three hours behind schedule.
Hey, this is a big part of the Greenland culture!
On the surface, it of course seems unprofessional to run an airport with international service, only to staff it so unreliably, to the point that staff just skip work for an outside activity. However, this is clearly a big part of Greenland’s culture. As one Reddit user explains:
As a foreigner working in Nuuk at the time, I remember around this time of year being so confused walking to work and seeing all the streets empty. When arriving (I worked in the harbor) only one coworker was there and I asked what was up, they just pointed outside laughing and I saw more boats than I could count all out on the water.
He told me to go enjoy the town and take the day off if I wanted because everyone was out hunting. Sure enough, over the next few days all the boats returned with antlers and I had some great reindeer over the next weeks.
As another Reddit user explains:
If you don’t hunt or go fishing, you don’t eat. If you don’t stock up on fish and game meat when the season is in, you don’t eat during the year.
Yes, we do have supermarkets, but they can’t be stocked up all year round, as the supply ship can’t get to the villages during the late autumn, winter and early spring.
All supermarket goods have to be shipped in from Europe, Denmark and Iceland. That goes for food, clothes, furniture, tools, machines, spare parts, water pipes, washing machines, guns, ammo, boats, skidoos, cars, wood – everything you need in a modern society.
We have to hunt and go fishing to stock up on food, and once the reindeer season begins, there’s nothing like fresh meat.
So – good luck with keeping the hunters at work. You can’t. Everybody knows that.
Bottom line
On August 3, 2025, United’s awesome flight from Nuuk to Newark was delayed by around three hours, after security staff didn’t show up to work. This wasn’t due to some sort of industrial action, but instead, was because it was the start of reindeer hunting season, and Greenlanders have different priorities than we might have in the United States.
What do you make of this United delay out of Greenland?
I was on that flight! They didn't have anyone to do security. It was crazy. They must have called people in at 3x the pay!
Yes! I love this so much; hunting is important and while people don't complain about religious holidays, cultural events are equally as important. If only United scheduled around it so people weren't stranded and or delayed.
Such is life in the arctic! This is reminiscent of Canadian North on Baffin Island ... just kinda getting there when you get there! But when every aspect of your life depends on the weather, flexibility is simply built in to the culture.
Man, I'd love to know how my TI would respond to /this/ as a claim...
Serious question - are there any rules for flights into the US from places where airport security is "dubious"? Everyone would have to clear customs in Newark anyway, so I'm wondering what would have happened if the airport had just decided to send the plane out and to HEL with security given possible duty rotation issues and so on. (Obviously...
Man, I'd love to know how my TI would respond to /this/ as a claim...
Serious question - are there any rules for flights into the US from places where airport security is "dubious"? Everyone would have to clear customs in Newark anyway, so I'm wondering what would have happened if the airport had just decided to send the plane out and to HEL with security given possible duty rotation issues and so on. (Obviously it would turn into some sort of scandal on the Greenland/Denmark end, but I also can't imagine it being the first time in the last 20-odd years that some country ended up not really bothering with security measures given some of the...interesting...operations I've seen occasionally mentioned from very rural parts of rather poor countries.)
It's fine with me. I think it's kind of cute. There are a lot more annoying reasons for delays.
There was a 3 hour delay on my UAL flight on June 25th from Nuuk to EWR because of a lack of security personnel. Fire department personnel were called in but it took approximately 3 hours for security to open. I think they're probably understaffed.
Terrific Story for the next 5 years of cocktail parties.
Sounds like my home state of West Virginia. Get hunting boys.
Some of my fondest memories in youth were hunting deer in NC with my uncle in the 80s. Trust every part of the animal that could be used was used. Full freezer in the garage for the whole year. Beats the hell out of buying cheap, chemically altered meat at Costco. I miss roasted venison as a part of Thanksgiving down there. Responsible hunting has its place although it's not a part of my life anymore.
Rumor is this route is going to be axed. It's not doing well.
Look, I get and respect that different countries have different traditions and you can't expect nor force locals to change their traditions because it's to the convenience of you as a foreign guest or visitor. However, the question here is whether or not UA was informed by GOH's operations about this beforehand (and if so how long ago)... because if they weren't, there's no other way to look at it but as a lack of professionalism.
I learned when I was in Ireland back in December that Dublin Airport is completely closed on Christmas Day. Nothing wrong with closing things down for one day a year for a day that is very meaningful to the local population. However at least Dublin notifies airlines of this and all regularly scheduled daily flights just don't operate on that day. I don't think it's disrespectful to a culture to say that a head's up would be nice.
While I wasn’t delayed, I did have a little scare at the Lanai (LNY) airport in Hawaii. I was flying Mokulele Airlines back to HNL and arrived about 45 minutes before my scheduled flight. No one at the check in counter. No security staff. No plane. No other passengers. The departure and arrival display was an old one where you have to manually add letters, but both were empty.
I finally found a worker...
While I wasn’t delayed, I did have a little scare at the Lanai (LNY) airport in Hawaii. I was flying Mokulele Airlines back to HNL and arrived about 45 minutes before my scheduled flight. No one at the check in counter. No security staff. No plane. No other passengers. The departure and arrival display was an old one where you have to manually add letters, but both were empty.
I finally found a worker who told me airport staff was at home having lunch, but will be here before the flight. Lo and behold someone showed up about 10 minutes before departure and the plane showed up 5 minutes later. Interesting experience.
This is quite embarrassing for all of us at this point :/
Raindeer Hunt or not, this has never been a problem at the other International gateways Ilulissat, Narsarsuaq, Kulusuk or Kangerlussuaq
And the notion that the Supermarkets can’t be stocked up in Nuuk year round is just laughable, the Gulfstream (the sea current not the Aircraft :D) keeps the fjords in the southern part of the West coast from freezing over most...
This is quite embarrassing for all of us at this point :/
Raindeer Hunt or not, this has never been a problem at the other International gateways Ilulissat, Narsarsuaq, Kulusuk or Kangerlussuaq
And the notion that the Supermarkets can’t be stocked up in Nuuk year round is just laughable, the Gulfstream (the sea current not the Aircraft :D) keeps the fjords in the southern part of the West coast from freezing over most of the time.
Ships arrive every week with everything you could ever need of groceries and fresh produce all year round.
Unfortunately for passengers departing from Nuuk, there is no EU261 protection applicable for departures from Greenland on non-EU carriers as Greenland has not chosen to adopt that particular regulation.
Greenland is not part of the EU, despite being part of Denmark. Left the EC (EU’s predecessor) in 1985.
And this is outside the airline’s control
Why would you go hunt for food when the very 737 you delayed can bring you even more food.
Talking about priorities.
They don’t want US garbage
Another reason Trump will buy them out.
You got some mad skills…posting comments while dreaming
Especially the Vances.
Maybe the hunt food is free and groceries are not? Hmm?
I like Eric's and Greenlands comments.
#1 respect local heritage...or don't go to Greenland (!!)
#2 a narrow-body flying twice a week from June - August could feed them for the year? Someone must have had a serious fall on their head with such a stupid comment
This LAX wanker is almost as dumb as that BA alter ego lunatic.
You probably just had a serious fall.
#2 If you comprehensively read, natives have enough supply in local markets without needing to hunt on that specific time that the flight departs.
#1 Way to respect locals by patronizing them thinking they still need to hunt food to feed themselves year round.
You’re a joke. 18 years old?
And they somehow survived hundreds of years before a twice a week seasonal service that just started.
No brains.
I stand corrected.
You're dumber than that BA freak.
You completely miss the whole point and still manage to insult the locals, again.
People survived thousands of years with no internet. So why don't you follow your rationale and stop using the internet and get lost.