LARGER
FOR HELSINKI-VANTAA
The expansion of Helsinki-Vantaa Airport’s international
terminal was completed and opened to the public at the end
of 2004. The new section is designed for long-haul traffic
and for departing and arriving passengers to and from countries
outside Europe’s Schengen area.
The new section adds some 6,000 square metres of floor space
to Helsinki-Vantaa, at the same time tripling the gate area
space. A third of the airport’s passengers pass through
this section, which was built especially to serve the rapidly
growing Asian traffic and to facilitate onward connections.
The entire airport can now cater for about 12 to 13 million
passengers a year.
The terminal expansion means passengers can enjoy new and
more effective services. The 20 new inspection points will
make border control faster whilst the additional three security
control lines will allow passengers to change planes more
quickly.
Attention has been paid to waiting area comfort and business
class passengers will have two big, new, superbly furnished
Airline lounges at their disposal.
Terminal signs now cater for Asian passengers and the airport
has recruited Chinese and Japanese speaking staff to help
them.
The commercial services for the new terminal are situated
in the Avenue shopping centre in the long-haul gate area,
in keeping with the Boulevard and Galleria shopping areas
in the European flights area and the Domestic terminal respectively.
The Avenue comprises 600 square metres of sales space, most
of which belongs to Helsinki-Vantaa’s own Airport Duty
Free shop. It also contains four new specialist outlets and
restaurant facilities have been increased. This section also
contains a separate currency exchange point.
A new baggage handling hall for transit passengers was also
opened in November 2004, providing much needed extra space
for both luggage handling and security inspections.
Customs clearance for those arriving at Helsinki-Vantaa from
outside the EU and for luggage flying on to other Finnish
destinations will also be made easier thanks to the terminal
enlargement, since passengers will no longer have to carry
their cargo hold luggage through customs themselves. Airlines
will automatically transfer the baggage for onward flights,
while passengers can make an oral declaration to customs for
any goods that require it.
The total cost of the terminal expansion came to 21 million
euros.
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