The decision by the Finnish state to continue to subsidise flights operating between six provincial airports and Helsinki has been awarded the unwanted title of "most useless" phenomenon of the year by Suomen Luonto (translated as 'Finnish Nature') magazine.
Passenger numbers on the flights to the regional airports of Kokkola, Savonlinna, Joensuu, Jyväskylä, Kajaani and Kemi-Tornio tend to be quite low, and the routes can only survive with state support.
In an article (in Finnish) explaining its decision, Finland's top nature magazine noted the detrimental impact the routes have on the environment due to the greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon footprint created by air travel.
The Finnish state began subsidising the routes during the Covid pandemic, due to the effect restrictions on travel had on the airline industry and on business activities within the regions.
The goal had been to stop funding the routes as soon as the pandemic subsided, but demand has not picked up as expected, and earlier this year the outgoing government agreed to continue to subsidise the flights until March 2026.
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Statistics provided by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, Traficom, show that passenger numbers have been on the rise on the regional routes this year. The state aid per passenger currently stands at an average of about 100 euros, compared to 280 euros last year.
However, the route between Helsinki and Savonlinna has averaged about four passengers per flight, meaning a cost to the taxpayer of 840 euros per passenger.
Suomen Luonto magazine has been selecting the "most useless" phenomenon of the year since 2000, with previous 'winners' including unrepairable electronic devices, the phenomenon known as "fast fashion", and fleece fabric.
The magazine is published by the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, or luonnonsuojeluliitto in Finnish.
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