Helsinki Airport
Encyclopedia
Helsinki Airport or Helsinki-Vantaa Airport is the main international airport
of the Helsinki
metropolitan region and the whole of Finland. It is located in Vantaa
, Finland
, about 5 kilometres (3 mi) west of Tikkurila
, the centre of Vantaa, and 9.2 NM north of Helsinki city centre. Originally built for the 1952 Summer Olympics
in Helsinki, the airport served 12,884,500 passengers in 2010 (a 2.2% growth since 2009) and it is the fourth largest airport in the Nordic countries
.
The airport is operated by Finavia
, the state-owned enterprise that operates Finland's airports. Helsinki Airport was chosen as the best airport in the world in the IATA 1999 survey on the topic. In 2006 the global airport customer satisfaction survey AETRA ranked Helsinki Airport one of the best airports worldwide and according to Association of European Airlines
2005 delay rates, Helsinki Airport was the most punctual airport in Europe.
The airport's three runways provide a platform for future growth while the airport can accommodate extra-wide aircraft such as the Airbus A340
and Airbus A350
, the former already in service and the latter being scheduled to enter service at Helsinki Airport with Finnair in the coming decade. The airport is the international and domestic hub for Finnair
, the Finnish flag carrier. It is also the hub for Blue1, the Finnish regional division of SAS
. Air Finland
and Flybe Nordic
are based at Helsinki Airport as well. The use of three runways allows for efficient clearing away of snow and ice during the winter months to keep the airport open.
The Aviapolis
is a new international business park
adjacent to the Helsinki airport area, already hosting the operations of numerous companies around the airport. Several hotels are located near the airport as well. Construction of a train link, Kehärata
, to the centre of Helsinki began in the spring of 2009 and the line is planned to go into operation in 2014. The Finnish Aviation Museum
is located near the airport.
On 25 November 2008, Finavia opened a wireless network free of charge at the Helsinki-Vantaa airport.
In April 2010, Norwegian Air Shuttle started flights from Helsinki to Oslo
and Stockholm
. In early 2011 Norwegian Air Shuttle stationed three aircraft there and introduced domestic flights to Oulu Airport
and Rovaniemi Airport
on 31 March 2011. Starting in May, additional flights will go to nine additional international destinations.
and non-Schengen areas. The non-Schengen area of terminal 2 is under enlargement and will be ready by the end of 2009, enabling the airport to receive eight wide-body aircraft at the same time, compared to the current five wide-body gates (of which only two are suitable for Finnair's new Airbus A340
).
's head office is located in Tietotie 11 on the grounds of Helsinki Airport. The company moved the head office there from central Helsinki
in 1994. The company held a "house-warming" ceremony on 11 January 1994. The head office of Finavia
, the company that manages Finland's airports, is located on the grounds of the airport. Other airlines with head offices on the grounds of the airport include Air Finland
and Blue1.
or taxi to the Tikkurila railway station
provides access to commuter trains
as well as to long-distance trains in the directions of Tampere
and Lahti
, including lines to Saint Petersburg
and Moscow
. Bus number 540 connects to Espoo railway station
in the direction of Turku
.
The construction of the Ring Rail Line
rail link to the airport was started in May 2009, with an opening for traffic projected for mid-2014. The new railway will serve local commuter trains running at 10-minute intervals at peak periods. The trip from an underground station under the current airport terminal building to the Helsinki Central Station will take about 30 minutes. Passengers will be able to make the connection to and from long-distance trains at Tikkurila, an 8-minute journey away from the airport on the future rail connection.
service 615 to the Helsinki Central railway station
in 30–55 minutes, and major hotels and railway stations in the Greater Helsinki Area in 15–120 minutes. The chief operator of these services is Helsinki Regional Transport Authority
under the "HSL" brand. A direct luxury coach service by Finnair is also available to and from the city center (usually about 30 min).
Coach connections, daytime and overnight, to all parts of Finland are provided by Matkahuolto
and ExpressBus
. They depart from airport coach terminal.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
of the Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
metropolitan region and the whole of Finland. It is located in Vantaa
Vantaa
Vantaa is a city and municipality in Finland. Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo and Kauniainen make up the Helsinki Metropolitan Area.Vantaa, with its population of , is the fourth most populated city of Finland. The biggest airport in Finland, the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, is located there...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, about 5 kilometres (3 mi) west of Tikkurila
Tikkurila
Tikkurila is a district of the municipality of Vantaa, Finland. Located in the eastern half of the Helsinki conurbation, some north of the capital's downtown district, it is the administrative and commercial hub of Vantaa, although Myyrmäki is a rival shopping centre within the municipality and...
, the centre of Vantaa, and 9.2 NM north of Helsinki city centre. Originally built for the 1952 Summer Olympics
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
in Helsinki, the airport served 12,884,500 passengers in 2010 (a 2.2% growth since 2009) and it is the fourth largest airport in the Nordic countries
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
.
The airport is operated by Finavia
Finavia
Finavia Corporation , the former Finnish Civil Aviation Administration, is the managing body of 25 airports located in Finland. Finavia maintains the airport network as well as the navigation system. Finavia's customers are both the travel industry as well as air passengers...
, the state-owned enterprise that operates Finland's airports. Helsinki Airport was chosen as the best airport in the world in the IATA 1999 survey on the topic. In 2006 the global airport customer satisfaction survey AETRA ranked Helsinki Airport one of the best airports worldwide and according to Association of European Airlines
Association of European Airlines
The Association of European Airlines is a non-profit industry organisation, bringing together 36 major European Airlines as the voice of the European Airline Industry for more than 50 years...
2005 delay rates, Helsinki Airport was the most punctual airport in Europe.
The airport's three runways provide a platform for future growth while the airport can accommodate extra-wide aircraft such as the Airbus A340
Airbus A340
The Airbus A340 is a long-range four-engine wide-body commercial passenger jet airliner. Developed by Airbus Industrie,A consortium of European aerospace companies, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known as Airbus SAS. a consortium of European aerospace companies, which is...
and Airbus A350
Airbus A350
The Airbus A350 is a family of long-range, wide-body jet airliners under development by European aircraft manufacturer Airbus.A consortium originally comprising European aerospace companies from the UK, France, Spain and West Germany, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known...
, the former already in service and the latter being scheduled to enter service at Helsinki Airport with Finnair in the coming decade. The airport is the international and domestic hub for Finnair
Finnair
Finnair Plc is the flag carrier and largest airline of Finland, with its headquarters on the grounds of Helsinki Airport in Vantaa, Finland, and its main hub at Helsinki Airport. Finnair and its subsidiaries dominate both the domestic and international air travel markets in Finland. The largest...
, the Finnish flag carrier. It is also the hub for Blue1, the Finnish regional division of SAS
Scandinavian Airlines System
Scandinavian Airlines or SAS, previously Scandinavian Airlines System, is the flag carrier of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, and the largest airline in Scandinavia....
. Air Finland
Air Finland
Oy Air Finland Ltd. is an airline with its head office and base at Helsinki Airport in Vantaa, Finland, operating chartered and scheduled flights to holiday destinations, as well as aircraft lease services. - History :...
and Flybe Nordic
Flybe Nordic
Flybe Nordic is an airline, jointly owned by Flybe and Finnair, and began operations on 30 October 2011.-History:The airline was announced on 1 July 2011, when Flybe and Finnair revealed plans to jointly purchase Finnish Commuter Airlines and rebrand the airline Flybe Nordic, with Flybe and...
are based at Helsinki Airport as well. The use of three runways allows for efficient clearing away of snow and ice during the winter months to keep the airport open.
The Aviapolis
Aviapolis
Aviapolis is a business, retail, entertainment and housing marketing brand area in Central Vantaa, Finland covering 42 square kilometers including the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport.-Business:...
is a new international business park
Business park
A business park or office park is an area of land in which many office buildings are grouped together. All of the work that goes on is commercial, not industrial or residential....
adjacent to the Helsinki airport area, already hosting the operations of numerous companies around the airport. Several hotels are located near the airport as well. Construction of a train link, Kehärata
Kehärata
The Ring Rail Line is a railway route under construction in the area of the city of Vantaa, in the Greater Helsinki Metropolitan Area of Finland. It will connect Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and the adjacent Aviapolis business and retail district to the Helsinki commuter rail network...
, to the centre of Helsinki began in the spring of 2009 and the line is planned to go into operation in 2014. The Finnish Aviation Museum
Finnish Aviation Museum
The Finnish Aviation Museum is a museum specialising in aircraft, located in Vantaa, Finland.-History:The museum was founded on 4 December 1969 by Ilmailumuseoyhdistys ry. The museum was placed next to the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport but received its own facilities in 1980...
is located near the airport.
On 25 November 2008, Finavia opened a wireless network free of charge at the Helsinki-Vantaa airport.
In April 2010, Norwegian Air Shuttle started flights from Helsinki to Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
and Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. In early 2011 Norwegian Air Shuttle stationed three aircraft there and introduced domestic flights to Oulu Airport
Oulu Airport
Oulu Airport is located in the municipality of Oulunsalo, Finland, south-west of Oulu city centre. The airport is the second busiest in Finland after Helsinki-Vantaa airport, as measured by the number of passengers and the amount of freight transported. There are around twenty daily flights to...
and Rovaniemi Airport
Rovaniemi Airport
Rovaniemi Airport is the fifth biggest airport in Finland by annual number of passengers, located in Rovaniemi, Finland, about north of Rovaniemi city centre. The Arctic Circle crosses the runway closer to its northern end.- History :...
on 31 March 2011. Starting in May, additional flights will go to nine additional international destinations.
Terminals
The airport is nominally divided into 2 terminals, located 250 metres (820.2 ft) apart and linked by an internal pedestrian connection both airside and landside. In practice, however, the airside parts of the terminal buildings are not divided into terminal 1 (the former domestic terminal) and terminal 2 (the former international terminal) but to SchengenSchengen Agreement
The Schengen Agreement is a treaty signed on 14 June 1985 near the town of Schengen in Luxembourg, between five of the ten member states of the European Economic Community. It was supplemented by the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement 5 years later...
and non-Schengen areas. The non-Schengen area of terminal 2 is under enlargement and will be ready by the end of 2009, enabling the airport to receive eight wide-body aircraft at the same time, compared to the current five wide-body gates (of which only two are suitable for Finnair's new Airbus A340
Airbus A340
The Airbus A340 is a long-range four-engine wide-body commercial passenger jet airliner. Developed by Airbus Industrie,A consortium of European aerospace companies, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known as Airbus SAS. a consortium of European aerospace companies, which is...
).
Airlines and destinations
Charter airlines
In addition, the following airlines also have charter operations:Cargo airlines
Handling agents
The following handling agents provide full ground handling services for airlines http://www.finavia.fi/files/finavia2/Dokumentit/HEL_HANDLING_SERVICE_PROVIDERS_OCT_2009.pdf:- Airpro
- Inter Handling
- ISS Aviation
- NorthportNorthport-Places:United States*Northport, Alabama*Northport, Maine*Northport, Michigan*Northport, Nebraska*Northport, New York**Northport High School*Northport, Tennessee*Northport, Washington*Northport, Door County, Wisconsin*Northport, Waupaca County, Wisconsin...
- ServisairServisairServisair is an aircraft ground handling company, operating at 175 airports worldwide.It is a subsidiary of Derichebourg. Its head office is in the Servisair House in Runcorn, Cheshire...
- Ready to goReady to Go"Ready to Go" is a song by Republica, released as a single on 15 April 1996. The original recording was not included on the band's debut album, Republica - two other versions of the song, the U.S. mix and the original mix, were included...
- North Hub Services
Statistics
Passengers
| Year | Domestic passengers | International passengers | Total passengers | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 2,803,907 | 6,760,931 | 9,564,028 | +2.2% |
| 2000 | 3,042,914 | 6,967,234 | 10,010,148 | +4.7% |
| 2001 | 2,999,672 | 7,031,246 | 10,030,918 | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 2,747,862 | 6,862,025 | 9,609,887 | −4.2% |
| 2003 | 2,684,618 | 7,026,302 | 9,710,920 | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 2,836,852 | 7,893,125 | 10,729,977 | +10.5% |
| 2005 | 2,804,304 | 8,326,285 | 11,130,589 | +3.7% |
| 2006 | 2,927,627 | 9,220,154 | 12,147,781 | +9.1% |
| 2007 | 2,875,289 | 10,215,455 | 13,090,744 | +7.8% |
| 2008 | 2,700,350 | 10,726,551 | 13,426,901 | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 2,372,844 | 10,218,762 | 12,591,606 | −6.3% |
| 2010 | 2,208,521 | 10,674,878 | 12,883,399 | +2.2% |
Freight and Mail
| Year | Domestic freight | Domestic mail | International freight | International mail | Total freight and mail | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 4,692 | 5,251 | 115,734 | 9,627 | 135,303 | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 4,145 | 5,469 | 126,332 | 9,098 | 145,044 | +7.2% |
| 2007 | 3,171 | 5,676 | 139,840 | 14,961 | 154,801 | +6.7% |
| 2008 | 2,968 | 4,435 | 140,572 | 9,532 | 157,508 | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 1,322 | 2,161 | 110,382 | 8,243 | 122,107 | −22.5% |
| 2010 | 1,083 | 1,992 | 147,139 | 7,793 | 158,007 | +29.4% |
Other operations
FinnairFinnair
Finnair Plc is the flag carrier and largest airline of Finland, with its headquarters on the grounds of Helsinki Airport in Vantaa, Finland, and its main hub at Helsinki Airport. Finnair and its subsidiaries dominate both the domestic and international air travel markets in Finland. The largest...
's head office is located in Tietotie 11 on the grounds of Helsinki Airport. The company moved the head office there from central Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
in 1994. The company held a "house-warming" ceremony on 11 January 1994. The head office of Finavia
Finavia
Finavia Corporation , the former Finnish Civil Aviation Administration, is the managing body of 25 airports located in Finland. Finavia maintains the airport network as well as the navigation system. Finavia's customers are both the travel industry as well as air passengers...
, the company that manages Finland's airports, is located on the grounds of the airport. Other airlines with head offices on the grounds of the airport include Air Finland
Air Finland
Oy Air Finland Ltd. is an airline with its head office and base at Helsinki Airport in Vantaa, Finland, operating chartered and scheduled flights to holiday destinations, as well as aircraft lease services. - History :...
and Blue1.
Rail
Connecting the airport by frequent local bus 61 of Helsinki Regional Transport AuthorityHelsinki Regional Transport Authority
Helsinki Regional Transport Authority began its work on January 1, 2010. The work of the new intercommunal authority is based on the new Finnish public transportation law in force since December 3, 2009...
or taxi to the Tikkurila railway station
Tikkurila railway station
Tikkurila station is located in Tikkurila, the administrative centre of Vantaa in the Helsinki metropolitan area. It is located approximately from Helsinki Central railway station and from Helsinki-Vantaa airport...
provides access to commuter trains
Helsinki commuter rail
Helsinki commuter rail is the commuter rail system serving Greater Helsinki, Finland. The network is operated by VR, the Finnish national railway company. Together with the Helsinki Metro and trams, the network forms the heart of Helsinki's public transportation infrastructure.Trains run above...
as well as to long-distance trains in the directions of Tampere
Tampere
Tampere is a city in southern Finland. It is the most populous inland city in any of the Nordic countries. The city has a population of , growing to approximately 300,000 people in the conurbation and over 340,000 in the metropolitan area. Tampere is the third most-populous municipality in...
and Lahti
Lahti
Lahti is a city and municipality in Finland.Lahti is the capital of the Päijänne Tavastia region. It is situated on a bay at the southern end of lake Vesijärvi about north-east of the capital Helsinki...
, including lines to Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
and Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. Bus number 540 connects to Espoo railway station
Espoo railway station
Espoo railway station is a railway station located in the district of Espoon keskus in the city of Espoo, Finland. It is located between the stations of Tuomarila and Kauklahti, about from the Helsinki Central railway station....
in the direction of Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
.
The construction of the Ring Rail Line
Kehärata
The Ring Rail Line is a railway route under construction in the area of the city of Vantaa, in the Greater Helsinki Metropolitan Area of Finland. It will connect Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and the adjacent Aviapolis business and retail district to the Helsinki commuter rail network...
rail link to the airport was started in May 2009, with an opening for traffic projected for mid-2014. The new railway will serve local commuter trains running at 10-minute intervals at peak periods. The trip from an underground station under the current airport terminal building to the Helsinki Central Station will take about 30 minutes. Passengers will be able to make the connection to and from long-distance trains at Tikkurila, an 8-minute journey away from the airport on the future rail connection.
Bus
There are regular busBus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
service 615 to the Helsinki Central railway station
Helsinki Central railway station
Helsinki Central railway station is a widely recognised landmark in central Helsinki, Finland, and the focal point of public transport in the Greater Helsinki area. The station is used by approximately 200,000 passengers per day, making it Finland's most-visited building...
in 30–55 minutes, and major hotels and railway stations in the Greater Helsinki Area in 15–120 minutes. The chief operator of these services is Helsinki Regional Transport Authority
Helsinki Regional Transport Authority
Helsinki Regional Transport Authority began its work on January 1, 2010. The work of the new intercommunal authority is based on the new Finnish public transportation law in force since December 3, 2009...
under the "HSL" brand. A direct luxury coach service by Finnair is also available to and from the city center (usually about 30 min).
Coach connections, daytime and overnight, to all parts of Finland are provided by Matkahuolto
Matkahuolto
Oy Matkahuolto Ab is a Finnish company, which was established on 28 January 1933 to operate and maintain bus stations throughout Finland and to provide freight services...
and ExpressBus
ExpressBus
ExpressBus is a Finnish express coach network covering most of Finland. It is a joint marketing brand of 23 coach operators and it was launched in 1991. The fleet has around 300 coaches with a white base colour and a red-blue arrow. The Savonlinja Group with Pohjolan Liikenne are two of the largest...
. They depart from airport coach terminal.
See also
- List of the largest airports in the Nordic countries
External links
- Helsinki airport – Airport homepage in English
- AIP Finland – Helsinki-Vantaa Airport