Finnair passenger plane in the air at Helsinki-Vantaa. LEHTIKUVA
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Passenger numbers at European airports have surpassed pre-pandemic levels, but Finland’s recovery remains significantly slower, according to new data from Airports Council International (ACI) Europe.
In 2024, European air traffic grew by 7.4% year-on-year, exceeding 2019 levels by 1.8%.
Many airports in Southern Europe, such as those in Turkey, Italy, and Spain, have already set new passenger records. However, Finland remains 25% below its 2019 figures, trailing behind its Nordic neighbours.
Last year, Finavia’s 20 airports handled 19.6 million passengers, with 16.3 million passing through Helsinki Airport. By comparison, in 2019, passenger numbers reached 26 million. In contrast, Norway’s Avinor airports recovered to 95% of their 2019 levels, while Sweden’s Swedavia airports reached 81%.
According to Petri Vuori, Finavia’s Senior Vice President for route development, Finland’s slow recovery is largely due to its geopolitical position. The closure of Russian airspace has significantly reduced Asian flight connections and transfer passengers, a key factor in Finland’s pre-pandemic air traffic.
Air travel is expected to continue growing globally. ACI forecasts that worldwide passenger numbers will reach 17.7 billion by 2043 and 22.3 billion by 2053, nearly 2.4 times the 2024 figure. Growth will be driven primarily by international travel, while domestic air traffic is expected to expand at a slower pace.
Leisure travel is emerging as the dominant force in air traffic recovery. Airports in tourist-heavy destinations such as Malta, Croatia, Italy, and Greece have seen some of the largest increases in passenger numbers. The same trend is visible in Finland, where Lapland’s tourism-driven airports are seeing record growth.
Rovaniemi Airport recorded a 29% increase in passenger numbers last year, the highest growth among Finavia’s airports. Ivalo (+12.8%), Kittilä (+9.9%), and Kuusamo (+4.8%) also saw notable increases. December’s Christmas season traffic at Lapland’s airports was 50–65% higher than in 2019. Meanwhile, business travel in Finland has only recovered to about 50–60% of pre-pandemic levels.
Helsinki Airport remains Finland’s busiest, but its 2024 passenger numbers are still far from their peak. The airport handled 16.3 million passengers last year, well below the 21.9 million recorded in 2019. Among Finland’s other major airports, Rovaniemi and Kittilä have surpassed their pre-pandemic levels, while Oulu and Turku remain below.
European air traffic is bouncing back, but Finland faces challenges in catching up. While tourism is boosting passenger numbers, the loss of key transfer routes and slower business travel recovery continue to hold back growth.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
