Helsinki Airport to change kerbside traffic rules next year

Finavia believes it will enhance the kerbside arrivials experience at Helsinki Airport by making changes to the traffic arrangements in front of the airport terminal from January 1, 2025.

“Getting to and leaving the airport is part of the journey and the passenger experience,” notes Jukka Isomäki, Finavia’s project manager responsible for Helsinki Airport’s traffic arrangements.

“We actively monitor customer feedback as well as changes in customer behaviour and the use of different modes of transport. We want to develop the operations of Helsinki Airport so that travelling via our award-winning airport will be even smoother.”

Taxi operations at Helsinki Airport will become clearer

In autumn 2024, Finavia put the use of Helsinki Airport’s taxi lane 4 out to tender. The objective of the competitive tendering was to ensure the quality and reliability of the service for passengers and to calm the taxi lane, which was previously available to all taxi companies without restrictions.

As a result, Lähitaksi will start as the new contract partner for lane 4 on 1 January 2025.

At the same time, the operations of other taxi companies on lane four will cease. The airport’s three other taxi lanes will continue to be used by contract partners who have, following a competitive tendering process, been using the lanes since 2018.

“We want to develop the operations of the taxi station and further improve the travel experience at the airport,” says Isomäki.

“The operating model based on contract taxis has already been established at the airport, and a part of it is now being updated on the basis of the feedback from passengers and the experience we have gained. In addition to the taxi lane, we will open a dedicated pick-up point for the increasingly common ride-hailing app rides.”

As part of the development of the taxi arrangements, Finavia will open a new pick-up point for ride-hailing app rides in the P2 parking hall located in the immediate vicinity of the terminal, to which there is direct access from the terminal’s arrivals hall.

In the future, taxis that do not have a contract with Finavia will also be directed to pick up their customers from the pick-up point in question.

Signs in the terminal will direct arriving passengers to the app ride pick-up point.

In order to develop the airport’s bus and taxi traffic, Finavia will take over the coordination of traffic from the beginning of May 2025.

Dropping off passengers at the airport will become smoother

Finavia wants to make sure that dropping off departing passengers at Helsinki Airport will continue to be as smooth as possible.

In order to ensure that there will always be available spaces in front of the terminal’s main entrance for the cars of people who are dropping off passengers at the airport, the time that cars may remain in the area free of charge will be limited from the beginning of next year.

In the future, the time for stopping in the drop-off area in front of the terminal will be limited to eight minutes. After that, a fee of €5 will be charged for every starting five-minute period.

“The aim of the change is to reduce the amount of longer-term parking in the area, which, at worst, has taken up space from passenger drop-off traffic,” explains Isomäki.

“Instead of parking, people will be instructed to stop quickly in the drop-off area to say goodbye and remove baggage from the car – just as most people who drive into the area already do. With the change, we aim to ensure that there will always be spaces available for stopping and dropping off departing passengers.”

In the future, vehicles driving through the drop-off area will be identified on the basis of their registration plates. If the visit time is less than eight minutes, driving through the area will not require any action from the driver.