Summer flights from Germany to Kittilä delayed until August

Summer flights from Frankfurt to Kittilä will not begin until August, according to a report by Yle. Last year, the route launched in early summer.

Discover Airlines will operate weekly flights from Frankfurt to Kittilä starting in August and continuing through October, with a stopover in Evenes, Norway. The airline stated it chose the schedule to align with peak demand for summer trips to Lapland from European travelers.

Poor domestic connections are also hindering summer tourism sales, said Satu Pesonen, CEO of Visit Levi. Finnair does not operate flights from Helsinki to Kittilä on Fridays, complicating travel for tourists from Central Europe. Early morning flights are difficult to reach from Central Europe, and feedback indicates that poor connections and high prices—ranging from 300 to 500 euros—are deterring bookings.

Hanna-Mari Talvensaari, CEO of Harriniva, a Muonio-based tourism company, expressed disappointment that the Frankfurt flights did not start earlier in the summer. Last year, the flights began unexpectedly, leaving tour operators little time to promote them. This year, they were prepared to sell the routes, but the flights were abruptly canceled.

Pesonen is actively negotiating with airlines to improve connections and noted that Finnair has been responsive to tourism industry input. For example, Finnair added flights for the autumn ruska season beyond its original plan.

Despite the challenges, Pesonen remains optimistic about the growth of summer tourism in Fell Lapland. Last summer, the number of international travelers at Kittilä Airport doubled. Germans have traditionally been the largest tourist group in summer Lapland, and Pesonen considers the German-speaking European market the most important for growth. She believes interest will also increase in Southern Europe in the future.