Aviation

Air transport is of considerable importance for the Finnish economy and for the country’s international connections. In 2008, a total of over 17,5 million air travellers used Finland’s airports. About 12 per cent of the country’s exports by value are transported by air.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications has a duty to secure the necessary operating conditions for air transport in Finland. The Ministry is also responsible for drafting Finnish legislation on the aviation sector and participates in the drafting of EU aviation legislation. In international aviation organizations and bodies, Finland is represented by the Ministry, the Finavia Corporation, and the Finnish Transport Safety Agency (Trafi).

Administrative sector

The duties of a public aviation agency are allocated to the Finnish Trasport Safety Agency (Trafi). It is responsible for flight safety matters.

Finavia Corporation is responsible for maintaining 25 airports.  The scheduled service airports are being developed into an integrated network to ensure that the country has a high-quality basic infrastructure with good regional coverage and with the capacity to meet traffic needs.

In addition to the airports, Finavia maintains and develops Finland’s air navigation system. The purpose of air traffic control and other air navigation services is to ensure the safety and reliability of air traffic.