18 May 2015: Workgroup proposes extension to Malmi Airport

May 19, 2015

The Malmi workgroup commissioned by Minister of Transport Paula Risikko on 4 December 2014 has presented its report to the Ministry of Transport and the Government of Finland coalition negotiators.

The workgroup has taken a wider than specified view of the situation of Malmi Airport and its activities.

From the point of view of overall benefit to society and the aviation branch, the workgroup sees it essential that the activities at Malmi Airport be continued until a substitutive location has been found and a new airport built there. With the exception of the Frontier Guard, none of Malmi’s operators have been allocated a new location. Operations at Malmi can be continued under an airport operator other than Finavia Ltd.

The workgroup was assigned to look into the prerequisites of continuing operations at Malmi in case Finavia pulls out. In addition to representatives from the aviation branch, the workgroup had representatives from City of Helsinki, Finavia and Trafi (Finnish Transport Safety Agency). Trafi’s task was to assemble the workgroup, initiate its work and act as an expert authority and facilitator. The leader of the workgroup was Master of Economic Sciences, Flight Captain Esa Korjula.

In its conclusions the workgroup pointed out that the final decision about Malmi belongs to the new Government of Finland. The essential parts of earlier land use agreements related to Malmi have already become void. According to the workgroup, Malmi is an important part of the national traffic infrastructure, serving both domestic and international traffic.

The workgroup emphasizes that the uncertainty of the future location of aviation activities must be ended with clear decisions. If the Government decides that Malmi will continue as an airport, the whole area can be claimed by the State, e.g., by swapping lands with City of Helsinki.

More information:

Esa Korjula
Chairman of the workgroup
Tel. +358 400 414 115

The report of the workgroup (in Finnish) »