On 24 September the Ministry of Transport and Communications (LVM) launched a six-week public consultation on its updated Civil Aviation Accident Cooperation Plan. The document sets out how border guards, airports, airlines and local authorities should share information, allocate resources and coordinate passenger assistance during major incidents on Finnish territory. Key updates align the plan with the EU Union Civil Protection Mechanism and introduce digital passenger-locator forms to speed up family notifications and immigration clearance for survivors diverted to alternative airports. The draft also clarifies the role of foreign carriers and handling agents, emphasising that airlines remain responsible for visa waivers and emergency accommodation for non-EU nationals until onward travel is arranged. Stakeholders – including business-aviation operators and global mobility managers – have until 6 November to comment via the lausuntopalvelu.fi portal. LVM says it is particularly interested in feedback on data-sharing protocols that would allow immigration authorities to pre-clear passengers medically evacuated to hospitals outside their entry Schengen port. Once finalised, the plan will be incorporated into airport emergency manuals and national contingency exercises in 2027. Employers with frequent travellers to Finland should review crisis-management policies and ensure travel-insurance providers recognise the new notification workflows. The consultation is part of a broader push to modernise Finland’s aviation-safety framework ahead of the full roll-out of the EU Entry/Exit System and expected growth in trans-Arctic flights, both of which will increase demands on border-control resources during emergencies.
