"We are happy that the long-awaited decision was finally made by the EU and we can start the work at the airport. We will now finish the preparations so that we can achieve as much as progress as possible with the construction work in Terminal 2 next year. Because different airports and regions are fighting even more fiercely over the flight shifts serving them, close cooperation between different operators must continue in Pirkanmaa, too, so that the preconditions for international air traffic will also be retained in the future. We are confident that the renovation of Terminal 2 will contribute to achieving this aim. However, without the input of the region and the appeal of the area, flight connections may not necessarily develop as expected, regardless of how functional the airport is," says Finavia's airport network director Joni Sundelin.
The starting point for the EU is that airport operations in practice must be based on income from airlines and passengers. It is possible to allocate public financing to airport investments on specific grounds. The development of Terminal 2 of Tampere-Pirkkala is funded with equal shares by the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the municipalities of Tampere region and Finavia. The cost estimate of the renovation is EUR 3.3 million.
"An international airport is an important competitiveness factor for the entire Pirkanmaa region. We are happy that airport development can be launched," says business and land use director Jyrki Laiho, City of Tampere.
The terminal will be renovated so that it will also cater to the future needs of air passengers in a competitive and cost-effective way. Finavia is committed to developing air traffic services in the Tampere region with the city and region. The service level of Terminal 2, which serves international traffic, will continue to be based on low-cost flights where self-service is pivotal.
In 2012, Tampere-Pirkkala airport's passenger volume was 570,000. This year, (January–October 2013), the volume has decreased by 18%. Tampere-Pirkkala is the third-busiest Finavia airport. Measured by the volume of international traffic, Tampere-Pirkkala is Finavia's second-largest airport after Helsinki Airport.
Finavia will communicate in more detail about the Tampere-Pirkkala renovation and its schedule during the first quarter of 2014.
