Helsinki Airport to go under expansion this year

Finavia, the company operates country´s airports has taken a massive expansion of Helsinki Airport, which will affect passengers in the next few years, said a press release.

Helsinki Airport's development programme helps the airport serve a growing number of passengers. The changes will affect passengers ' lives at the earliest in late 2018.

It will be the biggest investment program in its history with the view to increase the number of flight connections, and strengthen the airport’s position as a hub connecting Europe and Asia.

“The airport expansion will help us better serve our growing passenger numbers. Improved customer satisfaction is the goal of all this construction work. We hope that both passengers and airlines find Helsinki Airport smooth and comfortable to use,” said Timo Järvelä, Vice President, Passenger Experience and Processes at Finavia.

Helsinki Airport is likely to already reach 20 million passengers this year, two years sooner than originally expected.

“We are seeking an even faster growth rate than the general market, so the extra space and capacity will be needed. With the expansion, we hope to drive our customer satisfaction levels from great to excellent.”

2018 will be a year full of construction at Helsinki Airport, and the new expansions will require a lot of work. Passengers can expect to have new facilities in use in the first half of 2019.

At the moment, the construction sites are located in areas that have no effect on passengers' mobility at the airport.

The first impacts on passengers can be expected at the earliest in late 2018, when construction will start on the new entrance to Terminal 2 and the new arrival and departure halls. Currently, Finavia is planning new traffic arrangements and pedestrian pathways.

In 2019, the new Plaza, which will serve non-Schengen traffic, will be opened for the public. The Plaza will include a new central square, which will offer many new services and will host events. At the same time, a new security checkpoint for Asian transfer passengers will be opened, and later on, an expansion to the border control section.

By summer 2019, the first section of the new west pier will open, including six new gates for wide-body aircraft. The rest of the pier will be finished by late 2019.