“Our goal was to develop a bar concept that is built around cocktails made with high-quality ingredients, a unique airport atmosphere and Finnish craftsmanship. Once the concept was complete, the bar’s name felt like an obvious choice,” Nyyssönen says.
As a result of Finavia’s Helsinki Airport Development Programme, all passengers arriving in Finland end up in the same arrivals hall, where they are greeted by new restaurants, cafés and shops. Runway Bar is also located in the arrivals hall, the busy hub of the airport before security control, which makes it a great meeting point.
“We have created a comfortable place where friends, family members and co-workers can meet each other before setting out on their journey or when returning from their travels,” Nyyssönen says.
The bar’s interior design delights passengers: the aircraft wall panels, the light fixtures of a Finnair Airbus 320 and the runway shown on the ceiling’s LED screens make it feel like you have already began your journey.
A familiar face behind the carefully created cocktail menu
“In addition to the bar’s fascinating appearance, our strengths also include our great expertise. Behind our counter, you will find world-class bartenders, cooks and pilots,” Nyyssönen says.
Runway Bar is run by Restaurant and Bar Manager Jan Lindgren, who is known for taking part in MasterChef Suomi reality TV competition show. Lindgren has also created the bar’s cocktail menu together with his staff.
“We make all the ingredients for our cocktails, such as syrups, from scratch by ourselves. Right now, we are in the middle of developing our own cinnamon vodka,” Nyyssönen says.
In the future, Nyyssönen wants to expand his business to the airport’s gate area.
“Runway Bar shows off the expertise and considerable experience of our people. I believe that we will find our place in the hearts of passengers, and maybe some day we will be able to expand to the gate area,” Nyyssönen says.
