The situation at Finavia’s airports is worsening. The number of passengers was 91 per cent lower than in October last year. The number of flights declined by 77 per cent and freight volume by 51 per cent.
“The situation is of grave concern at Helsinki Airport, which depends heavily on international transfer traffic and also plays an important role in the success of Finavia’s regional airports. The number of transfer passengers declined by 95 per cent compared to last year,” says Kimmo Mäki, CEO of the airport operator Finavia.
The success of Helsinki Airport also benefits Finavia’s regional airports. Before the COVID-19 crisis, Helsinki offered Northern Europe’s best onward connections to destinations around the world, and Helsinki Airport’s revenues made it possible to maintain low-traffic network airports.
“When international traffic at Helsinki Airport is at a standstill, traffic at the regional airports is also dramatically reduced. Under normal circumstances, a significant proportion of the passengers who fly to Helsinki continue their journey to international destinations,” Mäki notes.
Finavia has systematically sought to establish a leading position for Helsinki Airport in the international competition between transfer airports. The Helsinki Airport Development Programme is a strategic long-term investment. It supports the success of Finavia’s entire airport network and also contributes to the Finnish economy, as each transfer passenger brings in income and helps maintain thousands of jobs.
“We decided to continue our investment programme in spite of the financial difficulties caused by the COVID-19 crisis because we want to be ready when the virus is under control and the world reopens. Completing the Helsinki Airport Development Programme may give us an advantage over our competitors,” Mäki explains.
In 2019, half of the just under 22 million passengers who travelled through Helsinki Airport were foreign travellers, with Finnish passengers representing the other half. International transfer passengers accounted for a significant proportion of the total. All told, some 26 million passengers travelled through Finavia’s airports last year. This year, the total number of passengers is predicted to be approximately a quarter of the previous year’s total.
Statistical summary and the development of passenger volumes in 2020
| October 2020 | January–October 2020 | |
| Total passengers at Finavia’s airports | 195,066-91% | 6,033,311-72% |
| Passengers at Helsinki Airport | 146,937-92% | 4,784,211-74% |
| International transfer passengers at Helsinki Airport | 13,785-95% | 695,200-77% |
| Total freight volume at Finavia’s airports | 11,162 t-51% | 115,703 t-41% |
| Freight volume at Helsinki Airport | 11,132 t-50% | 112,349 t-41% |
| Total number of commercial flights at Finavia’s airports | 5,011-77% | 83,652-60% |
| Total number of commercial flights at Helsinki Airport | 3,672-78% | 62,079-61% |
