Narrative:

We had a northerly routing to stay within 60 mins of an adequate airport. Dispatch had to use bgsf (kangerlussuaq) in greenland as one of the en route alternates since the only other one listed in our operations specifications was a day VMC airport only and this flight was at night. However; bgsf is officially closed at night. My company believes that if needed; the airport (bgsf) can be opened within 15 mins. I called the airport manager in bgsf to verify this. He told me that they could have the tower open within 5 mins and the airport within 10 mins. I decided that I would let iceland radio know that bgsf was our en route alternate as we flew over greenland. They would then notify bgsf to open if we had an emergency and had to divert there. The flight was uneventful. However; I am not completely sure of the legalities involved with using an airport as an alternate when it is officially closed. I posed this question to the company; and I am still waiting for them to show me where we have the legal authority/authorized to use an officially closed (at night) airport as an alternate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CAPTAIN IS CONCERNED THAT ENROUTE ALTERNATE IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC WAS NOT LEGAL FOR NIGHT OPERATIONS.

Narrative: WE HAD A NORTHERLY ROUTING TO STAY WITHIN 60 MINS OF AN ADEQUATE ARPT. DISPATCH HAD TO USE BGSF (KANGERLUSSUAQ) IN GREENLAND AS ONE OF THE ENRTE ALTERNATES SINCE THE ONLY OTHER ONE LISTED IN OUR OPS SPECS WAS A DAY VMC ARPT ONLY AND THIS FLT WAS AT NIGHT. HOWEVER; BGSF IS OFFICIALLY CLOSED AT NIGHT. MY COMPANY BELIEVES THAT IF NEEDED; THE ARPT (BGSF) CAN BE OPENED WITHIN 15 MINS. I CALLED THE ARPT MGR IN BGSF TO VERIFY THIS. HE TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD HAVE THE TWR OPEN WITHIN 5 MINS AND THE ARPT WITHIN 10 MINS. I DECIDED THAT I WOULD LET ICELAND RADIO KNOW THAT BGSF WAS OUR ENRTE ALTERNATE AS WE FLEW OVER GREENLAND. THEY WOULD THEN NOTIFY BGSF TO OPEN IF WE HAD AN EMER AND HAD TO DIVERT THERE. THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. HOWEVER; I AM NOT COMPLETELY SURE OF THE LEGALITIES INVOLVED WITH USING AN ARPT AS AN ALTERNATE WHEN IT IS OFFICIALLY CLOSED. I POSED THIS QUESTION TO THE COMPANY; AND I AM STILL WAITING FOR THEM TO SHOW ME WHERE WE HAVE THE LEGAL AUTH TO USE AN OFFICIALLY CLOSED (AT NIGHT) ARPT AS AN ALTERNATE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.