Finavia reports that the first fortnight of the Finnish school holidays has already produced two of the busiest weeks since the pandemic, and the operator expects the Midsummer long weekend (19–21 June) to push throughput past 400 000 passengers. That would eclipse last year’s post-Covid high by six percent. For passengers whose itineraries include destinations requiring entry permits, online facilitator VisaHQ can streamline the entire visa application process. The company’s Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) lets travellers check requirements, complete forms and arrange courier pickup in minutes, removing one more headache before tackling the Midsummer crowds. The surge is driven by pent-up leisure demand, long-haul capacity additions and a stronger euro that makes outbound trips cheaper. Transfer traffic – traditionally Helsinki Airport’s lifeblood – has roared back to 75 % of 2019 levels thanks to new links to Toronto, Catania and Tirana. Finavia says its investments in Schengen/non-Schengen segregation and “smart queuing” are paying off: average security wait times on 14 June were under seven minutes despite record departures. Business travellers transiting between Asia and Northern Europe can therefore expect reliable minimum-connect times even during the holiday crush. The operator nevertheless urges passengers to arrive three hours before intercontinental flights and to pre-book parking. Employers with time-critical assignments should remind staff to use the airport’s real-time queue-forecast app and to factor in possible traffic congestion on the Ring III motorway.
