The morning flight from Oulu to Helsinki brings a group of business passengers who travel back in the evening. Since last spring they have been offered something novel to listen to.
In the morning an energising sound environment fills the passenger bridge, replaced by a relaxing one in the afternoon.
'It's not music, but different sound frequencies, rhythms and sounds, such as that of the wind, for example. The sounds have been integrated into the surfaces of the passenger bridge without using speakers', explains Customer Experience Manager Johanna Metsälä from Finavia.
'Our passengers have enjoyed the sound environment, although they have also expressed a wish for more melodic options. We intend to develop and investigate the impact of sound environments on the customer experience at Helsinki Airport too'.
Art at gate areas
Making the passengers' time at the airport more pleasant and improving customer experience go hand in hand.
Research shows that gate areas are a significant factor in how pleasant passengers consider their experience.
In an effort to offer a different kind of positive experience, Finavia set up an Art Gallery at Helsinki Airport Gate 37.
The gallery functions as a quiet, calm spot in an otherwise hectic airport setting.
At the moment, the Art Gallery is exhibiting photographs of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius at his home in Ainola and in Helsinki of the 1930s and 1960s. Art Gallery’s scale, spanning a few hundred square metres, also makes it possible to use it for painting and sculpture exhibitions.
To aeroplanes through an oasis
The cramped waiting area at Gate 21 became a light and airy oasis last July.
'We transformed old row bench frames into wooden benches. Some use them for their bags and coats, some for working or card games, while others opt to lie and relax on them.
In the middle of the area we have several groups of wooden poles to lean on, obviously equipped with charging points.
We offer our customers the freedom to spend their waiting time as they wish', Metsälä continues.
Even though the corridor next to the gate area is now narrower than before, the area works much better now. The corridor guides passenger flows nicely and is separated from the waiting area by a divider composed of surplus seat backrests made of plywood.
