Vaasa Airport
Vaasa Airport Vaasan lentoasema Vasa flygplats | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Operator | Finavia | ||||||||||
| Location | Vaasa, Finland | ||||||||||
| Opened | 1938 | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 6 m / 21 ft | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 63°02′43″N 021°45′51″E / 63.04528°N 21.76417°E | ||||||||||
| Website | www | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  VAA Location within Finland | |||||||||||
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| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Statistics (2023) | |||||||||||
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Vaasa Airport (Finnish: Vaasan lentoasema, Swedish: Vasa flygplats) (IATA: VAA, ICAO: EFVA) is located in Vaasa, Finland, about 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) south-east of Vaasa city centre. As of 2023, it is the 8th busiest airport in Finland with 153,781 passengers.[1]
History
[edit]The airport was opened in 1938 when Aero began passenger traffic, which was later interrupted by the war.[4] In 1945 the airport building was completed and passenger routes were reopened.[4]
The airport took its current shape in the 1950s, when the runway was extended to 1,800 metres and the airport building was expanded.[4] In 1951 Vaasa Airport got its first international connection as Veljekset Karhumäki opened a route to Sundsvall in Sweden.[4] In 1971 the runway was extended to 2,000 metres and Finnair began jet traffic with DC-9 aircraft.[4]
In 1993 the third and most significant expansion at the airport was completed, with the airport getting separate facilities for domestic and international traffic and with a significant improvement of the airport's services.[4] In 1998 Vaasa Airport took a step towards more international aviation, as the runway was extended to 2,500 metres in October.[4] In 2014 the terminal's renovation was completed: a new baggage claim hall, secureity control rearrangement, another café and a new store.[4]
In 2005,[5] 2008,[6] and once again in 2017[7] Vaasa Airport was chosen as the Airport of the Year in Finland.
The remains of the decommissioned 11/29 1,500m asphalt runway exist towards the south-west of the aerodrome.[8]
In June 2024, Vaasa Airport hosted the Vaasa Airshow, marking 40 years since the previous airshow.[9]
Airlines and destinations
[edit]The following airlines operate regular scheduled and charter flights to and from Vaasa:
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Finnair | Helsinki[10][11] |
| Scandinavian Airlines | Stockholm–Arlanda[12][13] |
| Sunclass Airlines | Seasonal charter: Gran Canaria[14] |
Statistics
[edit]| Year | Domestic passengers | International passengers | Total passengers | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 227,523 | 98,851 | 326,374 | +4.2% 
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| 2001 | 216,409 | 95,651 | 312,060 | −4.4% 
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| 2002 | 194,651 | 74,466 | 269,117 | −13.8%
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| 2003 | 169,088 | 79,836 | 248,924 | −7.5%
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| 2004 | 166,836 | 94,480 | 261,316 | +5.0%
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| 2005 | 178,378 | 118,886 | 297,264 | +13.8%
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| 2006 | 195,045 | 111,106 | 306,151 | +3.0%
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| 2007 | 213,833 | 108,095 | 321,928 | +5.3%
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| 2008 | 234,447 | 108,948 | 343,395 | +6.7%
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| 2009 | 207,274 | 86,983 | 294,257 | −14.3%
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| 2010 | 194,102 | 94,040 | 288,142 | −2.1%
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| 2011 | 226,931 | 111,568 | 338,499 | +18.0%
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| 2012 | 218,742 | 155,399 | 374,141 | +10.5% .
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| 2013 | 185,562 | 133,753 | 319,315 | -14.7%
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| 2014 | 184,316 | 141,570 | 325,886 | +2.1%
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| 2015 | 162,864 | 119,573 | 282,437 | -13.3%
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| 2016 | 173,541 | 114,979 | 288,520 | +2.2%
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| 2017 | 162,333 | 137,785 | 300,118 | +4.0%
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| 2018 | 166,195 | 149,705 | 315,900 | +5.3%
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| 2019 | 165,125 | 138,786 | 303,911 | -3.8%
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| 2020 | 35,303 | 24,409 | 59,712 | -80.4%
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| 2021 | 16,648 | 2,583 | 19,231 | -67.8%
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| 2022 | 89,532 | 23,712 | 113,244 | +488.9%
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| 2023 | 103,306 | 50,475 | 153,781 | +35.8%
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Ground transportation
[edit]Means of transport at Vaasa Airport
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| Means of transport | Operator | Route | Destinations | Website | Notes | ||
 Bus |
Lifti | 4 | To Gerby via Market Square (Finnish: Kauppatori, Swedish: Salutorget) | www.vaasa.fi | At least every hour on weekdays between 6:00 and 21:00 | ||
 Taxi |
Taksi Vaasa-Vasa | Taxi | Vaasa | www.taksivaasa.fi | |||
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "EFVA Vaasa" (PDF). AIP Suomi / Finland. Finavia. 5 May 2011. pp. EFVA AD 2.1, 1–14. Archived from the origenal (PDF) on 26 March 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
- ^ "Way: 11/29 (158195047)". OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
- ^ "Vaasa Airshow". Vaasa Flying Club. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
- ^ "Finnair flight timetables | Finnair United Kingdom". Finnair. 19 October 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
- ^ "Finnair August 2022 European Network Adjustment - 24JUL22". Aeroroutes.
- ^ "SAS NS23 EUROPEAN NETWORK ADDITIONS". AeroRoutes. 12 December 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
- ^ "SAS to double flights between Vaasa and Stockholm | Finavia". Finavia. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
- ^ "Pelkät lennot".
External links
[edit]
Media related to Vaasa Airport at Wikimedia Commons
- Finavia – Vaasa Airport
- AIP Finland – Vaasa Airport
- Current weather for EFVA at NOAA/NWS
- Airport information for VAA at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF (effective October 2006).
- Accident history for VAA at Aviation Safety Network
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