Russian GPS jamming disrupts nearly all Finnish air traffic, including Helsinki Airport

Nearly all flights in Finnish airspace are affected by GPS interference originating from Russia, but alternative navigation methods have prevented safety incidents, according to Finland’s air navigation service provider Fintraffic.

The disruption, most intense in southern and eastern Finland, has not caused dangerous situations because aircraft switch to pre-GPS navigation techniques when signals are lost, Fintraffic’s CEO Raine Luojus told Yle. Helsinki-Vantaa Airport—Finland’s busiest—experiences the same level of interference as airports near the eastern border, such as Joensuu, Kuopio, and Lappeenranta, but operations remain largely unaffected.

“Daily, we guide individual aircraft due to interference, but with 400–500 flights a day at Helsinki-Vantaa, rerouting a few doesn’t significantly impact workload,” Luojus said.

When GPS signals are jammed, pilots and air traffic control rely on backup systems that predate widespread GPS use around the turn of the millennium. These methods, though older, remain safe, and controllers redirect affected flights to areas where navigation capability is restored.

The jamming, ongoing since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, is likely an attempt to shield Russian airspace from Ukrainian drone attacks near the Finnish border, Luojus explained. Proximity to St. Petersburg means the interference extends into Finland.

Increased traffic as flights reroute over Finland Recent closures of St. Petersburg’s airspace due to drone threats have led to a surge in flights over Finland. In recent weeks, 20–30 aircraft—primarily from Chinese airlines—have been rerouted nightly via Finnish airspace, continuing to Europe through Sweden.

Fintraffic monitors potential rerouting needs via the Eurocontrol system and adjusts staffing accordingly. “This is routine, like summer thunderstorm diversions,” Luojus noted.