Every day, Tero Sivonen and the rest of the officers at the Tourist Information desk meet guests from all over the world. The tourists’ knowledge of the Helsinki region and of the airport itself tend to vary greatly, as is expected.
Therefore, Tero and his colleagues are accustomed to answering the same questions several times a day. “Most often we get asked how to get to Helsinki city center. Passengers on a layover will regularly ask what there is to do in Helsinki if they have, for example, five hours to spare,” Sivonen says.
“Those vacationing in Helsinki usually ask how they can find the hotel they are staying at.”
“Questions related to parking are also quite common. Customers want to know where to pay for their ticket and what to do if they aren’t able to do so for some reason,” Sivonen explains.
At times, customers ask very surprising questions, including some more unusual requests.
“For example, we had to calm the nerves of a particular customer who was suffering from claustrophobia and was anxious about taking the elevator to get to the underground train station. Sometimes we also get asked where the departures hall is located, as some customers feel that the signs on our floor don’t clearly indicate where it is,” says Sivonen.
“Ultimately, our job is to assist all customers regardless of their questions and concerns. There is no such thing as a foolish question.”
Tero Sivonen and the rest of tourist information officers can be found here.
