Flying from Finland this Christmas? Tips for smooth holiday travelling

Christmas is getting closer and the number of passengers increases, especially at Helsinki Airport.

According to the Finnish airport operator (Finavia), the busiest days are expected to be those between the 19th and the 23rd of December. Airports are also expected to be very crowded during the weekends close to Christmas.

Finavia recommends travelers to arrive at the airport early in order to have enough time for parking, check-in, luggage drop and security control.

To make sure the trip starts well during the holiday rush, travelers must arrive at the airport early enough and their luggage must be packed right. Both before and after Christmas, airports are expecting a lot of travelers, and flights are often fully booked.

Helsinki Airport’s busiest hours are in the morning, between 5 am and 8 am, and in the afternoon, between 2:30 pm to 6 pm.

Waiting at the check-in and baggage drop

The staff at Helsinki Airport is prepared for Christmas passenger peaks, but passengers should book more time. Holiday-goers often have a lot of baggage, so there might be some waiting at the check-in and baggage drop before proceeding to the security check.

Passengers should also allow enough time for arriving to the airport, as well as for parking, if arriving with a car.

Smart packing for hand luggage

For speeding up the process at airport security, make sure portable electronic devices, including computers, tablets and cameras are easy to remove from your bag.

Liquids in containers of up to 100 millilitres should be packed into a single transparent bag, which are also available at the airport. Remember to remove the bag from luggage before security scanning.

Christmas casseroles need to be checked in

Some passengers, especially on domestic flights in Finland, take Christmas food with them on the flight.

Christmas ham can be taken through security, as well as the traditional Christmas star pastries, gingerbread and confectionaries. The ham can be frozen as well, and not be regarded as a liquid.

Traditional Christmas casseroles, however, are regarded as liquids, and must be placed in the checked baggage.

Power banks and fireworks

Power banks, as well as other electronics bought as Christmas presents, for example, must be placed in hand luggage, not in the checked luggage.

Christmas fireworks or sparklers are not allowed in the airplane, not even in the checked baggage. "They must be bought at the final destination,” Finavia emphasized.

To double check if an item is allowed onboard, see further Finavia’s baggage instructions HERE