Fintraffic ANS, Finland’s air-navigation service provider, has issued AIP Supplement 132/2026 establishing a temporary restricted airspace (EFR667) above the coastal artillery range at Lohtaja from 28 September to 2 October 2026, daily between 03:00 – 17:00 UTC. The restriction, created to allow live-fire mortar exercises, extends from the surface to flight level 260 and will be activated by NOTAM one day before operations begin. Although military, police, customs, rescue, and urgent medical flights are exempt, all other civil traffic—including commercial airlines and business-aviation operators—must avoid the area or obtain specific clearance from air-traffic control. Fintraffic warns that the usual seven-day ICAO notice may not be possible; operators should therefore monitor NOTAMs closely and prepare to re-route at short notice. In practical terms, flights linking Helsinki with northern hubs such as Oulu and Kemi-Tornio, as well as east-west services across the Gulf of Bothnia, could face minor track deviations and consequent schedule padding of 3–8 minutes. Charter carriers serving the energy and forestry sectors on Finland’s west coast have been advised to file flexible flight plans and ensure crew are briefed on alternative ATS routes. Freight forwarders moving just-in-time components through Helsinki-Vantaa should also anticipate possible knock-on delays to domestic feeder legs. Corporate travel managers with personnel visiting production sites in Central Ostrobothnia are encouraged to check whether road or rail alternatives fit time-critical itineraries, particularly for same-day trips. Travellers connecting onward to North America or Asia should leave longer transfer buffers at Helsinki Airport in case of arrival slippage. The Lohtaja firing exercises form part of the Finnish Defence Forces’ autumn training calendar and highlight the continued interaction between national security requirements and civil airspace use. The incident underlines why companies with frequent travel to Finland should subscribe to Fintraffic’s free AIS bulletins and integrate automated NOTAM feeds into their travel-risk-management platforms.
