Helsinki Airport is evolving

 
 
 
Redevelopment of Helsinki Airport continues. There are several major renovation and redevelopment projects underway. Renovations are focused on existing waiting lounge and baggage areas and passenger and airline services will be improved.
 
Basic renovation work on Terminal 2 will continue to the end of 2011. The airport and its services will be open normally for the duration of renovations. However, the renovation work will have an impact on the general ambience, as there are a large number of construction partitions in Terminal 2 that block windows and, in some cases, service points and business premises.
 

The objective of the renovations is a new baggage handling centre

 
  
The renovation work is being done in connection with implementation of the new, state-of-the-art baggage centre which was opened for service in December 2009. Its integration into the existing baggage handling systems required extensive alteration work in the terminal departure halls and on the service level.
 
The baggage centre's processing system is based on state-of-the-art technologies employed at major international airports. An additional 20,000 square meters of space is available for handling and sorting baggage. The overall length of the baggage handling system is over 10 kilometres and its peak capacity is 7,000 bags an hour.

Thanks to the extra space and modern technology, Helsinki Airport can now process 13.5 million bags in a year which is 43 % more than the current facilities allowed.
 

Phase 1 of the Terminal 2 redevelopment is completed

 
 
 
Phase 1 of the Helsinki Airport redevelopment was completed on 11 May 2010. 17 new check-in counters and bright, updated waiting area were opened to the public. At the same time the first bags were whisked from the new area through a tunnel to the baggage centre in the terminal extension.
  

Renovation work to continue to the end of 2011

 
 
Renovations are currently underway in Terminal 2, in both the check-in area and gate area, where work is mainly concentrated in the area between gates 27 and 31.
 
The next phase will be completed in the autumn of 2010, at which time additional check-in capacity and passenger waiting areas will be available. After this, renovation work will move the next location in Terminal 2.
 
The basic renovation of all old areas in the terminal will take nearly two years. When all work is finished at the end of 2011, Helsinki Airport will have an entirely new look.