Air transport strategy: Preserving the airport network by developing regional airports

The Ministry of Transport and Communications is putting forward more than 50 development policy ideas for the development of air transport and airports in its air transport strategy for 2015 - 2030.

Key aspects of the strategy include maintaining airports as a network also in the future, and the development of air transport and provincial airports as a collaborative effort of officials and the business community.

The air transport strategy was presented to Minister of Transport and Local Government Paula Risikko on 6 February. The strategy proposes taking measures and setting goals for airports, as well as areas such as policy on safety, air transport charges, and subsidies, navigation services, training, and ground handling services.

The strategy emphasises that air transport supports the possibilities for growth in the Finnish economy as well as the country's competitiveness. Air transport needs to be developed for the long term to serve the needs of passengers and other customers.

"The strategy offers a good foundation for the development work of different areas of air transport both on the national level and as part of the preparation and legislative work of the European Union and international organisations", Risikko says.

According to Risikko five regional working groups tasked with creating demand for regional airports and their services are to be established for implementing the strategy.

In addition to airports and air transport connections, targets for development include transport links to the airports. The connections could be implemented as travel chains linking different forms of transport.