COVER INTERVIEW: HELSINKI AIRPORT Unlock the full potential... Two of the new retail units at Helsinki Airport's new Aukio central plaza.


“We are having conversations with our retail partners to address spend-per-head levels… I would like to see us all adapting more to the end-user preferences, rather than to reuse the same [commercial] model year after year.”


Joni Sundelin, Helsinki Airport


(mixed souvenirs from Finland); a mixed jewellery brand concept including Kalevala, Suunto and Lapponia and finally a standalone Moomin shop celebrating the country’s famous


cartoon character. On 6 February, Finavia invited


200 volunteers – recruited through social media – and members of the media to test out the new facilities and services; ‘part of a long tradition’, it insists. During the test day in February,


participants were permitted into the airport’s apron area, where access for the public is usually limited. The participants were also invited to lunch at the brand new Ajisen Ramen restaurant, originating from Kumamoto in Japan. Sundelin says he (personally)


received ‘good positive feedback’ on the test day itself. “The expectation level was high, but feedback was positive. But we need to read through all the feedback before we get an accurate picture. “There were 200 [participants]


World Duty Free creates a sense of place in a large walkthrough store immediately after security.


This content is for subscribers only. ‘A wild year ahead,’ says Finavia


selected and there were 1,000 which applied for it in 1.5 days so the interest in these test days we conduct is


For Helsinki Airport, 2019 will be truly ‘transformative’, insists Finavia. Within the next year, the airport will face more reformations and changes than ever before. In January, the front of Terminal 2 will become the focal point of expansion work and construction is expected to affect traffic arrangements and the mobility of passengers. “Next year, we will finish all the


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and modern infrastructure. At the same time, the focal point of our investment programme will shift from increasing long-distance traffic capacity to expanding Terminal 2.” In January, the most visible phase of


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expansions serving the long-distance traffic of Helsinki Airport,” says Finavia’s Technical Director Henri Hansson. “We plan to launch new, spacious and comfortable facilities, new services


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the development programme began with the revamp of the airport’s check- in and arrivals halls in addition to public transport connections. At the beginning of 2020, a completely new area serving air passengers will be completed in front of Terminal 2. “We are building an expansion to house check-in, security control,


huge. We had 200 when we opened the South Wing, but 5,000 applied on that occasion.” TRBusiness asked if


this exercise


really allowed the airport to make any significant alterations or if it was more of a courtesy to its residents. “We can make changes,”


says Siberg. “For example in the wayfinding, if there isn’t enough signage or if it’s in the wrong place, it is very important for us to act, as these are the thoughts and feelings of our real customers.” Acting on the feedback and various


demands of its customers covers all aspects of the airport experience, including the retail offer. In this respect, Sundelin did reveal the airport is rethinking the commercial ‘model’ altogether. “We are having conversations with


our retail partners to address spend per head levels… I would like to see us all adapting more to the end- user preferences, rather than to reuse the same [commercial] model year after year. I would say in the future it will be more of a mixture of shops and experience areas rather than having everything in a row… we are trying to analyse the space allocation between food & beverage, experiences vs duty free or specialty retail. “Currently we are analysing


the whole model and how this should be.” Sundelin says this analysis will


factor heavily in the airport’s plans for the new T2 Schengen area, which it will renew in 2022. «


baggage drop and an area for greeting passengers,” says Hansson. “The current departure and arrivals


halls of Terminal 2 will undergo a complete transformation and become part of the gate area. “Before everything is ready, there will


be dust, noise and other disruptions. Services will need to relocate, passenger routes will be changed, walking distances will be longer and car parking will be further away.” Despite this, he insist that they are


doing their utmost to ensure the best possible customer experience.


FEBRUARY 2019


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