Aviator begins operations as Finnair’s largest handling provider at Helsinki airport
Aviator Airport Alliance, a full-range provider of aviation services at 15 airports across the Nordics and a family member of Avia Solutions Group, continues successful partnership with Finnair, providing services at Helsinki airport. The service agreement, signed in October 2020, will take effect on 1st of April 2021, and will expand the company’s previous de-icing partnership with the airline to now provide ground handling services for Finnair’s Airbus fleet traffic, including all long-haul operations.
Starting April, Aviator will provide Finnair fleet of Airbus 319/320/321/330/350s aircraft with ramp handling services, such as luggage and freight handling and aircraft servicing at Helsinki airport, as well as towing services for the airline's Airbus and Embraer (E190) fleets. Additionally, in March 2021, the companies signed a new agreement which includes handling of left behind and damaged luggage in baggage sorting area and will be included in Aviator’s arrival service department.
Jukka-Pekka Kujala, Managing Director at Aviator Airport Services Finland Oy, commented: “During such turbulent times, strong and reliable partnerships are of utmost importance. We are glad to expand our services agreement with such well-established and reliable partners like Finnair, and are sure, that our flexible, quality services will meet every Finnair need and will assist them in their way out of Covid-19.”
Jukka Glader, the VP Ground Operations of Finnair, gave a comment about the partnership: “The re-design and transformation of the Helsinki Hub operational model play a vital role in Finnair’s post-COVID-19 strategy. In order to create sustainable competitive advantage in Helsinki Hub in the future, Finnair has chosen Aviator as its ground service provider for Airbus fleet, providing us flexibility as we gradually increase flying during the ramp-up over the coming months and years. We are extremely excited to start the future collaboration and look forward to developing the Helsinki Hub ground handling ecosystem and successful operations together with Aviator.“
Since the signing of the new contract in 2020, the preparations for the startup of ground handling services have advanced well in good cooperation between Aviator’s and Finnair’s teams of professionals. Trainings for the service provider have been ongoing throughout March.
Jo Alex Tanem, the CEO of Aviator, expressed the company’s delight in the development stating, “Aviator’s ongoing collaboration with Finnair has proved to be beneficial for both client and service provider, especially under the current market conditions. The new expanded partnership agreement with the airline, allowing Aviator to handle all of their Airbus operations, cements the company’s presence as the leading independent ground handling service provider in the Nordics.”