“We need increased capacity for unloading luggage especially in the afternoons so that we can guarantee short transfer times at Helsinki airport. A temporary solution will be completed in the form of a luggage hall that will be ready for use in summer 2016,” says Heini Noronen-Juhola, Vice President of Helsinki Airport at Finavia Corporation.
Finavia is expanding the current luggage factory into an old luggage hall. The hall located between the terminal and Hotel Hilton has been unused since 2009. Now, thanks to the renovation work, it will become an important part of the luggage system and facilities.
The hall located by the terminal is being equipped with new building systems and, of course, with luggage handling equipment and lines. The renovation also creates more storage capacity for luggage that has been brought to the airport in good time before the departure of the flight.
The hall solution is meant to be a temporary one before the completion of the actual terminal expansion and new luggage handling facilities. With the temporary luggage hall, Finavia can be sure that the capacity will be sufficient also during the terminal expansion work.
This expansion means that forwarding companies can work even more efficiently starting from next summer.
“It is important for the success of the entire airport that luggage is in the right aircraft at the right time. Even up to every third passenger chooses their route based on the transfer airport,” states Noronen-Juhola.
Towards 2020
The aim of Finavia’s development programme, worth EUR 900 million, is to strengthen the position of Helsinki Airport in both the international competition between airports and as a significant airline hub between Europe and Asia.
An internationally competitive airport is important for the wellbeing of the whole of Finland as it helps to maintain Finns’ good flight connections to all destination around the world.
Thanks to the expansion, the airport can serve 20 million passengers annually in the year 2020.
