The renovation project will commence already in April and May when work begins on the floodlighting and electric systems. Additionally, work will begin on the taxiways and apron. The runway will be closed between 22 June and 26 July 2015, and there will be no flight operations at the airport during that time.
- "Naturally, it is uncomfortable for air passengers that air traffic will be suspended for a month, but the disturbance is at its lowest during the summer months when there are fewer passengers in Vaasa than during other seasons,” says the manager of the Vaasa Airport, Petri Lampi.
When the airport is closed, the runway will be entirely re-surfaced, the sewer network renovated, and turnaround areas built at the ends of the runway. The surface of the taxiways will also be renewed, and the taxiways widened to comply with current standards. The smoothness of apron operations will be developed and the surface and the aircraft ramps renovated.
The value of the investment at Vaasa Airport is over EUR 5 million.
- It is Finavia's duty to ensure that the airports support the growth of air traffic in the best possible manner. “The goal of the investment is to ensure the operational prerequisites of air traffic related to the runway surface for at least 15 years and to the floodlighting system for 30 years,” says Finavia's regional director for western Finland Juha Aaltonen.
Finavia's investment programme continues in 2015
Finavia has implemented an extensive and ongoing investment programme for its airport network for the period 2013–2015.
In 2015, approximately EUR 25 million will be invested in network airports and the estimated employment effect of the investments is 350 person-years. The investment programme will, in its entirety, bring almost 1,700 person-years' worth of work to the areas surrounding the key regional airports.
The World Economic Forum has commended the airport network of Finland as the fifth best in the world. https://www.finavia.fi/en/news-room/news/2014/world-economic-forum-report-quality-of-air-transport-infrastructure-in-finland-among-world-s-best/
