Helsinki-Vantaa Airport

Helsinki-Vantaa Airport is a major airport serving Finland and a key transportation hub in Northern Europe, located in Vantaa, near the city of Helsinki, and is operated by Finavia. The airport is an important hub for Finnair, Norra, and Nordica, and offers connections to numerous destinations in Europe, Asia, and North America, including London Heathrow Airport, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, Frankfurt Airport, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Copenhagen Airport, Stockholm Arlanda Airport, Oslo Airport, Gardermoen, Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, Tokyo Narita International Airport, and New York John F. Kennedy International Airport. The airport is also a popular destination for low-cost carriers such as Ryanair, Wizz Air, and Norwegian Air Shuttle, which operate flights to various European cities, including Barcelona–El Prat Airport, Rome–Fiumicino International Airport, Berlin Brandenburg Airport, and Prague Václav Havel Airport.

Overview

Helsinki-Vantaa Airport is the largest airport in Finland and the fourth busiest in the Nordic countries, serving as a gateway to Helsinki, the capital city of Finland, and the surrounding Uusimaa region, which includes Espoo, Kauniainen, and Vantaa. The airport is located about 17 kilometers north of Helsinki city center, near the Ring III highway, and is easily accessible by car, taxi, or public transportation, including the Helsinki Regional Transport bus network and the I train and P train commuter rail lines, which connect to Helsinki Central railway station and other destinations in the Helsinki metropolitan area, such as Tampere, Turku, and Lahti. The airport is also close to several major highways, including the E18 and E75, which connect to other parts of Finland and neighboring countries, such as Sweden, Norway, and Russia, including Stockholm, Oslo, and St. Petersburg.

History

The history of Helsinki-Vantaa Airport dates back to 1952, when the Finnish government decided to build a new airport to replace the old Malmi Airport, which was located in the Malmi district of Helsinki. The new airport was designed by the Finnish architect Eero Saarinen and was officially opened on July 10, 1952, in time for the 1952 Summer Olympics, which were held in Helsinki. Over the years, the airport has undergone several expansions and renovations, including the addition of a new terminal building in 1969, designed by the Finnish architect Heikki Castrén, and the construction of a new runway in 1974, which was built to accommodate larger aircraft, such as the Boeing 747 and the Airbus A300. In 1983, the airport was renamed Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, and in 1996, it was privatized and became a limited company, owned by the Finnish state and the City of Vantaa, with Finavia as the main shareholder, which also operates other airports in Finland, including Oulu Airport, Rovaniemi Airport, and Kuopio Airport.

Facilities

Helsinki-Vantaa Airport has two terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, which are connected by a corridor. The airport has a total of 50 gates, including 19 jet bridges and 31 remote stands. The airport also has a cargo terminal, which is operated by Finnair Cargo and handles cargo flights to destinations in Europe, Asia, and North America, including Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Seoul Incheon International Airport, and Los Angeles International Airport. The airport is equipped with modern security screening equipment, including X-ray machines and explosive detection systems, and has a border control area, which is operated by the Finnish Border Guard, with customs and immigration services provided by the Finnish Customs and the Finnish Immigration Service, which also operate at other ports of entry in Finland, including Helsinki Port and Turku Port.

Airlines and Destinations

Helsinki-Vantaa Airport is a hub for several airlines, including Finnair, Norra, and Nordica, which operate flights to numerous destinations in Europe, Asia, and North America. The airport is also served by other airlines, such as Lufthansa, SAS Scandinavian Airlines, Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, British Airways, and Iberia, which operate flights to destinations such as Frankfurt Airport, Copenhagen Airport, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, London Heathrow Airport, and Madrid–Barajas Airport. The airport is also a popular destination for low-cost carriers such as Ryanair, Wizz Air, and Norwegian Air Shuttle, which operate flights to various European cities, including Barcelona–El Prat Airport, Rome–Fiumicino International Airport, and Berlin Brandenburg Airport.

Statistics

In 2020, Helsinki-Vantaa Airport handled over 6 million passengers, making it the fourth busiest airport in the Nordic countries. The airport also handled over 150,000 tonnes of cargo and over 50,000 aircraft movements. The airport is a major employer in the Helsinki metropolitan area, with over 20,000 people working at the airport, including employees of Finnair, Finavia, and other airlines and companies that operate at the airport, such as Swissport, Menzie, and DHL Aviation. The airport is also an important contributor to the Finnish economy, generating over €1 billion in revenue each year, with significant economic impacts on the surrounding Uusimaa region, including Espoo, Kauniainen, and Vantaa.

Ground Transport

Helsinki-Vantaa Airport is easily accessible by car, taxi, or public transportation. The airport is located near the Ring III highway, which connects to other parts of Finland and neighboring countries, such as Sweden, Norway, and Russia. The airport is also served by several bus lines, including the Helsinki Regional Transport bus network, which connects to Helsinki city center and other destinations in the Helsinki metropolitan area, such as Tampere, Turku, and Lahti. The airport is also connected to the I train and P train commuter rail lines, which operate to Helsinki Central railway station and other destinations in the Helsinki metropolitan area. Additionally, the airport is served by several taxi companies, including Taksi Helsinki and Lähitaksi, which operate to destinations in the Helsinki metropolitan area and beyond, including Stockholm, Oslo, and St. Petersburg. Category:Airports in Finland