The picture for Finnish domestic air traffic is somewhat
different. It is true that domestic air travel did increase
by 6 % in 2004 but the 2.8 million air journeys were still
one tenth down on the record year of 2000. The situation
is illustrated by the fact that domestic air traffic fell
by 5 % again in the last quarter.
Long distance domestic traffic grew almost as much as international
traffic, with Oulu traffic up by as much as 18 %, but demand
for short trips and on low density routes either didn’t
grow at all or even fell. And the reasons are obvious: a
highly competitive and comprehensive road transport system,
subsidised competing public transport, the lack of enthusiasm
and competition that results from a small market and the
lack of entrepreneurial spirit and interest by airlines
and travel agencies in local markets. We probably won’t
be able to do anything about any of these factors in future,
either. We must assume that the supply of domestic air transport
will decline in the next few years unless these very interests,
i.e., the local enterprises, can be harnessed in one way
or another.
