Two of them have already been completed: at the airports in Kittilä and Rovaniemi. The rest will be completed during the winter in Turku and Oulu.
"We continuously utilise the information we have received; spontaneous feedback, surveys and social media discussions, in order to develop our services and customer experience. Play areas have been mentioned in several messages and we are now happy to cater to that request," says Johanna Metsälä, Finavia's Customer Experience Manager.
The play areas are to be built by the Finnish play area equipment manufacturer Lappset, known to provide durable products of a high quality.
"Control tower" and "Castle of Turku"
All of the play areas are special customised models: In Oulu, there is a "control tower", and in Turku, there is a "Castle of Turku" and children can use a slide to get down from the "castle's" roof. In the Rovaniemi play area, children are greeted by reindeer, whereas in Kittilä, they can start their journey with a sledge. The play areas have game walls, peepholes and tunnels for crawling.
When children area happy on their journey, other people are also happy.
"Playing and consuming energy before the flight in the more spacious facilities of the airport can be a good thing. This also accounts for other passengers, as the smallest travellers can consume their energy at the airport," says Metsälä.
"It is very important that children enjoy their journey. Children have a lot of energy, and it is a good idea to consume that in a safe play area. We are very happy for this opportunity to create active play areas with Finavia, and promote children's exercise through playing, and to make the journey of those travelling with kids more comfortable," says Johan Granholm at Lappset Group Oy.
Submit feedback!
Did you like our new play areas? We are now looking forward to your feedback, which you can submit on Facebook www.facebook.com/finavia, Twitter www.twitter.com/finaviaoyj or our website at www.finavia.fi/fi/palaute.
There are also play areas at Helsinki Airport, near Gates 16, 20, 30 and 38. For many years now, the play areas of Helsinki Airport have been implemented in co-operation with Reima.
Finavia's travel instructions for families with children: http://www.finavia.fi/fi/lentomatka/ennen-matkaa/lapsiperheille/
Improving travel comfort is part of the network airport investment plan launched by Finavia at the beginning of 2014. The largest projects of the investment programme will be launched in Turku, Ivalo and Tampere, but renovation will also take place at other network airports. Approximately €35 million will be invested in network airports during the initial stage.
