The first aircraft to land was a military de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter, on 19 May 1958 with supplies for the navigational aids.
Braathens landed a Heron on 2 June.
The official opening took place on 7 June with 3,000 spectators.
Flights were at first flown using the Douglas DC-4.
Initially the coastal service and the Oslo service were flown one time per day.

Vigra did not originally have more to a terminal than a waiting hall.
Check-in and baggage pick-up was handled at Braathens SAFE's offices at Skateflua in the city center.
They were then transported by bus to the airport by Record og Vigra Rutelag (RVR).
They also operated a new car ferry services which was established between Ålesund and Valderøy.
Møre og Romsdal Fylkesbåtar (MRF) took over the ferry service from 1965.

Ownership of the airport passed to the CAA and the state from September 1959.
This coincided with a new taxiway from the runway and the opening of the instrument landing system (ILS).
This could only be used on runway 25.
The Vigra Transmitter was situated in the way for the other direction.
The ILS was installed without an inner marker.
The tarmac was extended in 1960 to make way for a general aviation section near the control tower.
Due to sinking of the runway it had to be re-asphalted the following year.

Braathens introduced their new Fokker F27 Friendship from 9 January 1959.
From the summer program it flew two daily flights to Oslo and from 1961 twice per day on the coastal route.
VHF omnidirectional range and distance measuring equipment navigational system were installed in 1963.
Ålesund Airport experienced a massive increase in traffic during the 1960s.
A third daily departure to Oslo was introduced in August 1963 and on the coastal route from 2 May 1964.
The latter was extended to Bodø Airport and Tromsø Airport from 1 April 1967, and upgraded to a fourth daily service.
Some Oslo services were provided using a Douglas DC-6.
A year later the coastal route increased to five daily trips, which was matched by the Oslo route in 1969.
That year also saws the installation of a visual approach slope indicator and the introduction of the Fokker F28 Fellowship in March.

MRF introduced a hovercraft service from Ørsta via Hareid to Ålesund and Vigra, then onwards to Molde and Åndalsnes.
The 18-passenger craft sank only days after the service was inaugurated in April 1965.
Two more hovercraft were delivered and served the route.
Travel times was 50 minutes to Molde, 80 minutes to Åndalsnes, 25 minutes to Hareid and 50 minutes to Ørsta.
However, by the time of the fall storms the authorities withdrew the operating certificate due to safety concerns.

In the course of two years the number of airports in Møre og Romsdal increased from one to four, having a dramatical effect on patronage at Vigra.
Kristiansund Airport, Kvernberget opened on 30 June 1970 after which two of the four daily Oslo services were moved there.
Ørsta–Volda Airport, Hovden opened on 1 July 1971, along with three airports in Sogn og Fjordane—Florø, Førde and Sogndal.
These were connected to Vigra with Widerøe's de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter services.
Molde Airport, Årø opened on 5 April 1972.
Braathens introduced its Boeing 737-200 on one of the Oslo services that year.

A new 728-square-meter (7,840 sq ft) works building opened in 1972, including a new fire station, command center and workshop.
The Friendship was pulled out of Vigra from 1976, by which time Braathens was back up to fifteen daily services.
The Fellowships had five departures in each direction on the coastal service and the 737s had taken over all the Oslo services.
To handle the increased traffic the terminal was slightly expanded with a temporary structure, allowing the airport to handle two simultaneous aircraft.
The first aircraft to land was a military de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter, on 19 May 1958 with supplies for the navigational aids. Braathens landed a Heron on 2 June. The official opening took place on 7 June with 3,000 spectators. Flights were at first flown using the Douglas DC-4. Initially the coastal service and the Oslo service were flown one time per day.
Vigra did not originally have more to a terminal than a waiting hall. Check-in and baggage pick-up was handled at Braathens SAFE's offices at Skateflua in the city center. They were then transported by bus to the airport by Record og Vigra Rutelag (RVR). They also operated a new car ferry services which was established between Ålesund and Valderøy. Møre og Romsdal Fylkesbåtar (MRF) took over the ferry service from 1965.
Ownership of the airport passed to the CAA and the state from September 1959. This coincided with a new taxiway from the runway and the opening of the instrument landing system (ILS). This could only be used on runway 25. The Vigra Transmitter was situated in the way for the other direction. The ILS was installed without an inner marker. The tarmac was extended in 1960 to make way for a general aviation section near the control tower. Due to sinking of the runway it had to be re-asphalted the following year.
Braathens introduced their new Fokker F27 Friendship from 9 January 1959. From the summer program it flew two daily flights to Oslo and from 1961 twice per day on the coastal route. VHF omnidirectional range and distance measuring equipment navigational system were installed in 1963. Ålesund Airport experienced a massive increase in traffic during the 1960s. A third daily departure to Oslo was introduced in August 1963 and on the coastal route from 2 May 1964. The latter was extended to Bodø Airport and Tromsø Airport from 1 April 1967, and upgraded to a fourth daily service. Some Oslo services were provided using a Douglas DC-6. A year later the coastal route increased to five daily trips, which was matched by the Oslo route in 1969. That year also saws the installation of a visual approach slope indicator and the introduction of the Fokker F28 Fellowship in March.
MRF introduced a hovercraft service from Ørsta via Hareid to Ålesund and Vigra, then onwards to Molde and Åndalsnes. The 18-passenger craft sank only days after the service was inaugurated in April 1965. Two more hovercraft were delivered and served the route. Travel times was 50 minutes to Molde, 80 minutes to Åndalsnes, 25 minutes to Hareid and 50 minutes to Ørsta. However, by the time of the fall storms the authorities withdrew the operating certificate due to safety concerns.
In the course of two years the number of airports in Møre og Romsdal increased from one to four, having a dramatical effect on patronage at Vigra. Kristiansund Airport, Kvernberget opened on 30 June 1970 after which two of the four daily Oslo services were moved there. Ørsta–Volda Airport, Hovden opened on 1 July 1971, along with three airports in Sogn og Fjordane—Florø, Førde and Sogndal. These were connected to Vigra with Widerøe's de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter services. Molde Airport, Årø opened on 5 April 1972. Braathens introduced its Boeing 737-200 on one of the Oslo services that year.
A new 728-square-meter (7,840 sq ft) works building opened in 1972, including a new fire station, command center and workshop. The Friendship was pulled out of Vigra from 1976, by which time Braathens was back up to fifteen daily services. The Fellowships had five departures in each direction on the coastal service and the 737s had taken over all the Oslo services. To handle the increased traffic the terminal was slightly expanded with a temporary structure, allowing the airport to handle two simultaneous aircraft.
Ålesund Airport, Vigra