Yesterday Finavia announced the results of consultative talks, as well as its decision to move regional air control operations from Tampere to Vantaa. Out of 38 air navigation workers, some 28 now face losing jobs. An air navigation staff of 10 would be kept in Finland to take care of Finnish-language and military aviation services.
Finavia, which maintains the network of Finnish airports and the air navigation system, has not yet made a final decision on outsourcing, though the possibility has been researched. According to Raine Luojus, Senior Vice President of the company’s Air Navigation Services, outsourcing to Finland's southern neighbour would bring Finavia savings, as services there are cheaper.
Cost-cutting pressures
Air navigation staff receive the flight plans of aircraft and relay important information – for example concerning the weather and other air traffic – to pilots. Navigators used to work at various Finnish airports, but their jobs were concentrated in Vantaa some three years ago.
EU regulations demand that Finavia boosts its cost-effectiveness in air traffic control by 1.7 percent annually. As air traffic and turnover decreases, Finavia must find ways to cut costs. Together with the Baltic states and Norway, Finland is a part of North European airspace, where EU rules call for co-operation.
Finavia is an entirely state-owned company. Minister of Transport Merja Kyllönen, who is in charge of regulating the company, could not be reached for comment.