Environment - Finland

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PRB monitoring

  • Finland registered a KEA performance of 3.71%. Their target of 3.38% was not achieved and Finland did not contribute positively to Union-wide performance. The NSA states the main reason for not meeting the target was because of airspace closures caused by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which has shifted traffic flows from Russia to Kaliningrad.

  • KEP and KES degraded in comparison with 2024 showing that Finland’s environmental performance deteriorated in 2025.

  • The average time in level flight during descent degraded marginally, and during climb improved compared to 2024.

  • VFE of the actual trajectory was at 68.21%, which was worse than the Union-wide average.

  • Additional taxi-out time was 3.23 min/flight which improved compared to 2024, and additional taxi-in time was 1.07 min/flight which also improved compared to 2024.

  • Additional time in the arrival sequencing and metering area was 2.61 min/flight, which degraded marginally compared to 2024.

En route performance

Horizontal flight efficiency of the actual trajectory (KEA) (KPI#1), of the last filed flight plan (KEP) (PI#1), shortest constrained route (KES) (PI#2) and vertical flight efficiency of the actual trajectory (VFE) (PI#3)

KEA

The absolute value of the indicator has been slightly degrading over the last three years. For KEA, it went from 3.39% in 2023 to 3.41% in 2024 to 3.71% in 2025. For the corrected KEA, it went from 1.53% in 2023 to 1.60% in 2024 to 1.69% in 2025. This places Finland in the bottom of the third quartile in terms of KEA (18th in 2023 and 2024, 21st in 2025), but in the top of the second quartile in terms of KEA corrected (8th in 2023 and 2024, 9th in 2025).

In terms of overall contribution to the total additional distance, which is 0.60% in 2025, corresponding to the 4th lowest.

Regarding the assessment of the achieved level of actual performance in the environment KPA, the NSA reports: “Finland has implemented Free Route Airspace together with neighboring countries (NEFAB + DK-SE FAB) and the overflying traffic can select their preferred routing in the Finnish airspace.

The performance in 2025 was slightly above the target set in the NOP, resulting to actual value of 3,71 %. This has been caused mainly because of the airspace closures due to the Russia's war against Ukraine.

The airspace closures have shifted the traffic flows from Russia to Kaliningrad, and these flights have to use the narrow international airspace corridor between Finland and Estonia, and can not use the direct routing that has been used before the war.”

Regarding the identification and analysis by the NSA of the underlying reasons or circumstances having led to the performance target not being achieved, the NSA reports: “The airspace closures have shifted the traffic flows from Russia to Kaliningrad, and these flights have to use the narrow international airspace corridor between Finland and Estonia, and can not use the direct routing that has been used before the war.”

KEP

Regarding initiatives implemented or planned that will improve this PI and how does the NSA intend on monitoring their effectiveness on performance, the NSA reports: “Free Route Airspace implemented together with NEFAB and DK-SE FAB states. The airline may choose their preferred routing over the shortest depending on the jet streams, so it may not always be the shortest by distance.

Airspace closures have caused lot of problems when airlines can't fly the shortest route towards Asia/Japan and have to fly around those airspaces that are closed.”

KES

Regarding initiatives implemented or planned that will improve this PI and how does the NSA intend on monitoring their effectiveness on performance, the NSA reports: “Free Route Airspace implemented together with NEFAB and DK-SE FAB states. The airline may choose their preferred routing over the shortest depending on the jet streams, so it may not always be the shortest by distance.

Airspace closures have caused lot of problems when airlines can't fly the shortest route towards Asia/Japan and have to fly around those airspaces that are closed. The airspace closures have shifted the traffic flows from Russia to Kaliningrad, and these flights have to use the narrow international airspace corridor between Finland and Estonia, and can not use the direct routing that has been used before the war.”

Vertical flight efficiency

No comment provided.

Terminal performance

Additional taxi-out time (AXOT) (PI#4), Additional taxi-in time (AXIT) (PI#5) & Arrival Sequencing and Metering Area (ASMA) time (PI#6)

Airport level
Airport
Additional taxi-out time (PI#4)
Additional ASMA time (PI#6)
Additional taxi-in time (PI#5)
2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029
Helsinki 3.23 NA NA NA NA 2.61 NA NA NA NA 1.07 NA NA NA NA

AXOT

The additional time in 2025 decreased to 3.23 min/dep, 16% lower than the 2024 value – last year of RP3 – of 3.86 min/dep (using the new methodology).

The average for RP4 airports subject to monitoring of this indicator across Member States in 2025 was 3.61 min/dep.

Regarding initiatives implemented or planned that will improve this PI and how does the NSA intend on monitoring their effectiveness on performance, the NSA reports: “No new initiatives or planned initiatives for additional taxi-out time PI. Additional taxi-out time is following the same pattern as in previous years. Additional taxi-out time is usually higher in the winter months due to winter maintenance and de-icing procedures.”

AXIT

The additional time in 2025 was equal to 1.07 min/arr.

The average for RP4 airports subject to monitoring of this indicator across Member States in 2025 was 1.71 min/arr.

Regarding initiatives implemented or planned that will improve this PI and how does the NSA intend on monitoring their effectiveness on performance, the NSA reports: “Additional taxi-in time is usually higher in the winter months due to runways, taxiways and apron winter conditions.”

ASMA

The additional time in 2025 resulted in 2.61 min/arr, very close to the 2024 value – last year of RP3 – of 2.53 min/arr (using the new methodology).

The average for RP4 airports subject to monitoring of this indicator across Member States in 2025 was 2.98 min/arr.

Regarding initiatives implemented or planned that will improve this PI and how does the NSA intend on monitoring their effectiveness on performance, the NSA reports: “The airspace structure change project for 2027 is underway.”

Vertical flight efficiency of the descent (PI#7) and of the climb (PI#8)

Vertical flight efficiency of the descent

Compared to the overall RP4 average value (149.2 seconds per flight), average times flown level during descent are 106 seconds per flight lower in Finland. Helsinki (EFHK) has an average time flown level of 43.2 seconds per flight during descent.

Regarding initiatives implemented or planned that will improve this PI and how does the NSA intend on monitoring their effectiveness on performance, the NSA reports: “Goal to improve CDO percentage with TMA structure changes as part of major airspace structure change project in 2027. CDO might not always be the optimum approach based on flights' operational decisions.”

Vertical flight efficiency of the climb

Compared to the overall RP4 average value (34.8 seconds per flight), average times flown level during climb are 16 seconds per flight lower in Finland. Helsinki (EFHK) has an average time flown level of 18.8 seconds per flight during climb.

Regarding initiatives implemented or planned that will improve this PI and how does the NSA intend on monitoring their effectiveness on performance, the NSA reports: “The airspace structure change project for 2027 is underway.”

Airport level
Airport
Avg. duration in climb (PI#8)
Avg. duration in descent (PI#7)
2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029
Helsinki 18.8 NA NA NA NA 43.2 NA NA NA NA

Civil-Military dimension

Effective use of reserved or segregated local airspace

FINLAND reports a ratio of 82% - Total number of hours allocated & notified to NM: 66,969 - Total number of hours used: 55,239

Regarding initiatives implemented or planned that will improve this PI and how does the NSA intend on monitoring their effectiveness on performance, the NSA reports: “In line with previous years.”

Rate of planning via available airspace structures

FINLAND reports that: - The ratio of planning via available airspace structures is 13.32% (via available restricted and segregated airspaces) - The ratio of planning via available airspace structures is 30.45% (via available conditional routes – CDR) Comment Finland does not have this data, data provided by NM

Regarding initiatives implemented or planned that will improve this PI and how does the NSA intend on monitoring their effectiveness on performance, the NSA reports: “The fields to be completed for the indicator have changed since RP3. The service provider was unable to obtain the data before June. The ratio figures have been sourced from https://www.sesperformance.eu/dataportal/vis/. Comment to PRB: It would be preferable for these data to be pre-filled and then verified by the NSA.”

Rate of using available airspace structures

FINLAND reports that: - The ratio of the use of the available airspace structures is 13.48% (via available restricted and segregated airspaces) - The ratio of the use of the available airspace structure is 42.26% (via available conditional routes – CDR) Comment Finland does not have this data, data provided by NM

Regarding initiatives implemented or planned that will improve this PI and how does the NSA intend on monitoring their effectiveness on performance, the NSA reports: “The fields to be completed for the indicator have changed since RP3. The service provider was unable to obtain the data before June. The ratio figures have been sourced from https://www.sesperformance.eu/dataportal/vis/. Comment to PRB: It would be preferable for these data to be pre-filled and then verified by the NSA.”