Finavia has charted out its €900m development programme for the expansion of Helsinki Airport in Finland, which aims to increase the transfer traffic capacity at the airport.
The new plan is based on a ‘one roof’ concept that will bring all major services into a single building. This will also help the airport to reduce distances, make services accessible and boost the number of transit passengers.
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Helsinki Airport director Ville Haapasaari said that airport transfers from one gate to the other will become easier and quicker with all the services being provided in a single terminal.
Haapasaari adds that the airport has been studying different expansion concepts for many years and has been considering suggestions from airport users, such as airlines and other operators.
The expansion work will be carried out in three phases. Apart from extending the terminal, the airport will also work on providing more stands on the apron, additional de-icing capacity, parking space for wide and narrow-bodies planes and up to 14 passenger bridges.
Additional works include upgrading the airport’s restaurants and cafés and the expansion of Terminal 2, which will ensure that check-in, security control and baggage drop will be carried out in one departure and arrival hall.
Finavia has already started work on the demolition of the water tower and heating plant located on Apron 1, which has been out of use for years.
Construction of the long-haul facilities and the additional spots for wide-bodied jets will start in 2016 and the development programme will continue until 2020. The expansion will help to increase passenger traffic to 20 million and it is expected to create 5,000 permanent jobs at the airport.
Image: The Helsinki airport front terminal design. Photo: courtesy of Finavia.
