Phase 3 works begin at Tampere-Pirkkala Airport, triggering six-week capacity constraints

Fintraffic’s Aeronautical Information Service (AIS) issued AIRAC AIP SUP 103/2026 on 24 July, ushering in the third and final phase of a major infrastructure upgrade at Tampere-Pirkkala Airport (EFTP). From 24 July until 31 August, parts of runway 06/24, several taxiways and apron stands will be closed on a rolling schedule while contractors install a new Category II-compliant lighting system and resurface high-stress pavement areas. The regional airport – Finland’s second-largest for low-cost and charter traffic – will remain open, but declared runway length will drop to 2 100 m during night-work windows (22:00–06:00 LT) and taxi-yield procedures will add up to five minutes to turn-around times. Ryanair, Wizz Air and DHL have already filed revised slots; Ryanair’s weekday FR 4982 Tampere–London flight will depart 40 minutes earlier, while DHL will route one Leipzig freighter via Turku until mid-August. For mobility managers the biggest impact is on domestic connections that feed assignees into Finland’s industrial belt. Finnair’s morning AY 2651 service to Helsinki – used heavily by Nokia and Sandvik commuters – will operate with an ATR-72 instead of an Embraer 190, reducing seat capacity by 30 percent. Car-rental firms at the airport have also warned of limited parking during peak weekends. The €37 million project is part of Finavia’s decarbonisation strategy, allowing the airport to accommodate newer, quieter Airbus A220 and A320neo aircraft at higher payloads once work is complete. Companies with rotational workforces should consider shifting time-critical movements to Helsinki-Vantaa or Tampere’s high-speed rail link until early September and monitor NOTAM A1814/26 for day-to-day changes.