“We are prepared for a significant increase in the number of air passengers arriving at Helsinki Airport over the weekend. We have, for example, added staff to passenger guidance servicesand prepared additional resources together with our security control service provider. We are doing our best to make everyone’s journey smooth,” says Sami Kiiskinen, Vice President, Airport Development at Finavia.
Kiiskinen emphasises that it is a good idea to reserve plenty of time for baggage drop and security control. The busiest hours in the departures hall and security control are in the mornings between 5:00 and 8:00 a.m. and in the afternoons between 2:00 and 5:00 p.m..
“We ask passengers to be prepared for crowds and queues when many flights depart within a short period of time in the morning and afternoon and the planes are full. Up to 7,000 and 8,000 passengers pass through the departures hall during the peak hours. There may be even more passengers than prior to the pandemic during some individual hours.
As practical advice, Kiiskinen mentions that check-in should be done in advance and, for example, any baggage for a morning flight should be dropped the previous evening, if the airline allows it.
Some airlines and travel agencies open their check-in and baggage drop services about two hours before the scheduled departure of the flight. Some airlines, on the other hand, keep their service points open all the time. It is therefore worth checking whether the travel agency or airline provides its own instructions on when to arrive at the airport.
“We have compiled checklists and tips on how to prepare for your trip and what to take into account when departing from the airport on our website. For example, you can find instructions for packing your baggage from the checklist on our website,” says Kiiskinen, wishing passengers a relaxing autumn holiday.
