MINTC invites tenders for flights to Savonlinna

The Ministry of Transport and Communications invites tenders from airlines for the flight route between Helsinki and Savonlinna.

A tender will be accepted on the condition that sufficient funding has been reserved in the government's budget for the connection, and that the City of Savonlinna undertakes to contribute the difference between the annual subsidy to be paid to the airline and the amount of the appropriation in the government's annual budget.

Airlines are requested to submit tenders for operating a regular flight route from 1 October 2014 to 19 December 2015. However, they do not need to operate flights on certain public holidays nor during the summer holiday period at the beginning of August.

The invitation to tender was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 3 June 2014. The last date for submission of tenders is 61 days after the publication date of the announcement.

In 2013, a public service obligation was established in respect of this route for the period 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2015. The public service obligation specified such things as the frequency of flights, the number of seats to be provided on the aeroplane and the maximum price of tickets.

Flybe Finland Oy was chosen from the responses to the invitation to tender organised in 2013 to operate a triangular flight connection between Helsinki, Varkaus and Savonlinna. However, the invitation to tender was withdrawn as the City of Varkaus was unwilling to fund the services.

The invitation to tender documents can be requested from the registry of the Ministry of Transport and Communications [email protected].

Further information
Mr Pekka Kouhia, Senior Government Adviser, +358 (0)294 35 2612