Even though air traffic was at a low point throughout last year, a large number of tourists set out to meet Santa Claus and experience Lapland’s winter activities at the turn of the year. Kittilä and Kuusamo airports saw a 10% increase in flight volumes compared to previous winters. What factors affected the volume of air traffic? How did air navigation services succeed during a busier season than usual? What is spring looking like for air traffic in the north?
“Seasonal traffic at the turn of the year was very much in line with expectations. According to our estimates, similar flight volumes at airports in Northern Finland were last seen in 2018. The exact figures for air traffic at the turn of the year will be completed by Finavia at the end of January,” says Petri Rajaniemi, COO for Fintraffic Air Navigation Services in Northern Finland.
The Kittilä and Rovaniemi airports are the busiest airports in Northern Finland. Flights to the smaller airports in Enontekiö, Kuusamo and Ivalo also increased at the turn of the year. The biggest increase compared to previous winters was seen at the Kuusamo and Kittilä airports, where flight volumes increased by around 10%.
“The increased number of flights was certainly affected not only by the success of tourism marketing in Lapland, but also by the built-up travel enthusiasm, which has grown during the pandemic. Lapland is considered a safe destination because there is plenty of space and nature around us,” says Tapio Nurmela, Director of Network Airports at Fintraffic Air Navigation Services.
Charter flights from all over Europe arrived in Lapland. The largest number of flights was arriving from the British Isles, France, Germany, Poland, Italy, the Netherlands and Ukraine. At the turn of the year, more people flew from Latvia and Turkey to Lapland, whereas exceptionally few passengers came from Russia.
“The pandemic has certainly also contributed to an increase in business jet flights at northern airports at the turn of the year. Families and small groups usually arrive on these flights. In the past, the peak has been just over fifty flights in Rovaniemi, whereas now as many as seventy of these flights arrived during the high season at the turn of the year,” Nurmela continues.
Laid-off air navigation service personnel were brought to handle seasonal work
The coronavirus pandemic has driven the entire air navigation industry into an era of transformation. Even under normal circumstances, seasonal workers are recruited for air navigation services in the northern airports, but now these opportunities were utilised to provide work for the laid-off air navigation personnel.
“It was great that we were able to offer the laid-off staff work opportunities in seasonal work in the north. The staff has been very motivated and has coped well with the workload. During the peak season, large volumes of traffic move in the small airports, which is why cooperation with the Area Traffic Control Centre is important. At the turn of the year, cooperation between the various parties went in an exemplary manner,” Rajaniemi praises.
Air transport plays an important role in tourism in the north
It is said that Lapland lives from tourism, and the sector is of enormous importance for employment opportunities and the vitality of the entire region. The year’s work is largely concentrated in the short winter season, where air traffic is also heavily involved. Air transport plays an important role in enabling foreign passengers in particular to travel smoothly to take part in Lapland’s experiences.
“In Air Navigation Services, we ensure that air traffic runs safely and smoothly in the challenging conditions of the north. Many airlines fly to Lapland from countries that are not familiar with weather conditions such as those in Finland, which is why, for example, the definition of the conditions of runways can pose challenges for them. In this case, we act as an interpreter between the conditions and the operator and help ensure that the flight has all the information necessary to complete the flight safely,” Rajaniemi continues.
In terms of spring, the forecasts for air traffic are positive, although uncertainty is still strong due to the pandemic.
“Permanent scheduled flights from Central Europe promise a good future for air traffic in Northern Finland. However, uncertainties in terms of cases of illness and finances and the strict restrictions enforced in the flight destinations continue to be wild cards for airlines,” Nurmela says.
