Rapporteur seeks ways to restart aviation sector after coronavirus pandemic

Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen and Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä have appointed a rapporteur to assess what measures will be needed for the aviation sector to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. The aim is to ensure that the sector can grow sustainably in the future. Rapporteur Kari Savolainen will submit his proposal to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment by 15 March 2021.

“Finland’s vitality depends in many respects on good flight connections, which cannot exist without a comprehensive network of airports. For example, many companies linked with the aviation sector are concentrated around the Helsinki-Vantaa airport where they employ thousands of people,” Minister Lintilä says.

“Aviation companies and employees have faced a severe recession. Now we need ways to improve the opportunities for the employees to find work and develop their skills. Such support has already been given to Finnair, with the TE Office in Uusimaa taking immediate action in August to help those made redundant,” says Minister Haatainen.

Ministers Haatainen and Lintilä appointed Savolainen as rapporteur on 22 December 2020. He has previously worked as CEO of Finavia, among other things. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment will also set up a separate monitoring group to support the preparation of the report and to evaluate the proposed measures. Representatives of aviation companies, interest groups and the public sector will be invited to participate in the monitoring group.

Aim is to ensure conditions for growth in aviation sector

Rapporteur Savolainen will explore measures in which the Finnish aviation sector can reach global growth as soon as travel and tourism have recovered from the pandemic. The coronavirus pandemic causes permanent changes to the operating environment of the aviation and tourism sector and to consumer behaviour. The rapporteur will examine not only how the sector can prepare for the changes but also how it can take advantage of them.

The rapporteur has also been requested to propose ways to safeguard the skills of employees in an uncertain situation. That will ensure the availability of skilled workforce once the travel and tourism sectors have recovered.

The report will focus in particular on companies operating near Helsinki-Vantaa airport. The rapporteur will identify possible measures to attract more companies and investments to the area.

Inquiries:

Timo Nevaranta, Special Adviser to the Minister of Employment, tel. +358 50 574 1430
Jenny Hasu, Special Adviser to the Minister of Economic Affairs, tel. +358 40 658 3510
Jarkko Tonttila, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 060 069