Nordkapp to the mainland. This reduced travel time to Alta and people from Nordkapp started using Alta more for long-haul flights at the expense of Honningsvåg Airport. SAS bought Braathens in 2001, resulting in the latter taking over the service to Oslo starting on 1 April 2002. All SAS Commuter services in Northern Norway were taken over by Widerøe in October 2002. Norwegian Air Shuttle started its services from Oslo to Alta on 19 August 2003, initially with three services daily. SAS and Braathens merged in 2004 to form SAS Braathens; the airline changed its name back to Scandinavian Airlines in 2007. Plans for expanding the terminal facilities were first articulated by the Civil Airport Administration in the 1990s. The upgrade was given priority in a 2000 plan, but was shortly after placed on hold in favor of upgrades of Kirkenes Airport and Svalbard Airport, Longyear. By 2005 the Civil Aviation Authority announced that the aircraft parking areas at Alta were too close to the runway and that the airport would lose its certification in 2008 unless it was upgraded. Another concern was the lack of capacity, as the airport could only handle 150 passengers simultaneously at two gates. Avinor decided in February 2007 to build a new passenger terminal and tower for NOK 300 million. The new terminal was and was located between the old terminal and the port facilities. It included improved facilities for security control and allowed international services. The new terminal was put into use on 23 October 2009 and was officially opened on 25 September. Facilities The airport is located at Elvebakken and Altagård, on the southern shore of the Altafjord and at the mouth of the river of Altaelva, which is about east of Bossekop in the town of Alta. Operated by the state-owned Avinor, it has a single runway aligned 11–29 (roughly east–west), without a taxiway. Both directions are equipped with instrument landing system category I. The terminal building is and can handle international flights. In 2013, the airport had 368,393 passengers, 11,707 aircraft movements (landings and take-offs) and 330 tonnes of cargo, making it the busiest airport in Finnmark. The airbus bus is operated by Boreal Transport and takes ten minutes to the town center. Taxis and car rental is also available at the airport. There are 520 long-term parking spaces at the airport. From Alta to Hammerfest there are both coach