Airlines add Lapland flights, but fuel costs threaten shoulder-season routes

Airlines are adding flights to Lapland for the coming winter, but soaring fuel costs could lead to some services being cut outside the peak travel months, Yle reports. Finavia does not expect entire routes or large numbers of flights to be cancelled.

Christmas and January are the most lucrative months for airlines serving Lapland, as visitor numbers rise. Plans to expand services in November and February and March could be affected, said Henri Hansson, who heads Finavia’s airport network.

Fuel-related costs account for more than 30 per cent of airlines’ cost structures, Hansson said, making some routes less profitable and leaving individual services vulnerable to quick changes. He said the high fuel price was a risk for the industry, but did not expect widespread cancellations.

Fuel prices have risen to around 1,500 US dollars per tonne, as much as double their level a year ago, said Petri Vuori, Finavia’s director of route development. The rise is linked to war in the Strait of Hormuz region, which has significantly disrupted the passage of fuel and its raw materials.

Finavia forecasts that the number of air travellers to Lapland will grow by 5 to 10 per cent this winter compared with last year. Most flights are expected to come from Central Europe and the United Kingdom, as in previous years.

At Rovaniemi Airport, the busiest period is expected around Christmas, with Saturday, 19 December, forecast to be the most crowded day. Airport manager Johan Juujärvi said the week before Christmas and the week after it are usually the busiest. Fares can be expensive and flights full during peak periods, while tickets may be cheaper on less popular dates.

Hansson encouraged local residents to use the routes, saying that passenger demand helps secure air connections across markets.