newstodate.aero
Nov 30, 2017 (newstodate): Finland's Lappeenranta Airport, some 30 km from the border with Russia, is pinning high hopes on the coming Ryanair flights from 2018.
And in addition to hopes, investments are also forthcoming to spur the influx of Russian passengers for flights to Europe.
Plans are to set up a direct, dedicated bus service to and from St Petersburg as well as special rail services to facilitate access to the airport.
Before the years of crisis the airport handled some 100,000 passengers annually, but hopes are that rising market demand in Russia will see the number of passengers up to some 200,000 of which half would be generated in the affluent St Petersburg market.
Starting from March 28, 2018, Ryanair will be offering flights from Lappeenranta Airport to Milan, and from May 16, to Athens with Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
Ryanair has earlier been operating flights to Lappeenranta from Barcelona and Dusseldorf, but pulled out from the airport with the last flight to Bergamo on October 21, 2015.
airBaltic, Blue1 and Finnair have also been operating flights at the airport that was however left without traffic for a prolonged period.
Lappeenranta Airport, originally built on an old cavalry training field, has one 2,500 m runway and passenger facilities accommodating the handling of up to 500,000 passengers annually.
And in addition to hopes, investments are also forthcoming to spur the influx of Russian passengers for flights to Europe.
Plans are to set up a direct, dedicated bus service to and from St Petersburg as well as special rail services to facilitate access to the airport.
Before the years of crisis the airport handled some 100,000 passengers annually, but hopes are that rising market demand in Russia will see the number of passengers up to some 200,000 of which half would be generated in the affluent St Petersburg market.
Starting from March 28, 2018, Ryanair will be offering flights from Lappeenranta Airport to Milan, and from May 16, to Athens with Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
Ryanair has earlier been operating flights to Lappeenranta from Barcelona and Dusseldorf, but pulled out from the airport with the last flight to Bergamo on October 21, 2015.
airBaltic, Blue1 and Finnair have also been operating flights at the airport that was however left without traffic for a prolonged period.
Lappeenranta Airport, originally built on an old cavalry training field, has one 2,500 m runway and passenger facilities accommodating the handling of up to 500,000 passengers annually.