Finland establishes working group to plan future of regional flight network

The Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications has formed a working group to develop a long-term model for regional air connections, public broadcaster Yle reports.

The group will design a framework for operating flights to 12 regional airports across Finland, including Joensuu, Jyväskylä, Kajaani, Kemi, Kokkola, Kuopio, Mariehamn, Oulu, Pori, Savonlinna, Tampere, Tornio, and Vaasa. Their proposal is expected by the end of the current government term.

Several ongoing studies will inform the working group’s efforts, including assessments of criteria for nationally significant airports, the economic impact of air traffic, improvements to travel chains for major airports, and alternative network maintenance methods beyond Finavia’s existing infrastructure.

The working group includes representatives from the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, and the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom. Sabina Lindström, a department head at the transport ministry, will chair the group.

The initiative follows the government’s spring budget framework, which called for an examination of regional flight services.