Finavia has unveiled its annual ‘SnowHow’ campaign, outlining the technologies and procedures that allow Finland’s 20 airports to remain operational in some of Europe’s harshest winter conditions. In a 28 November briefing the operator stressed that advance planning starts the moment the previous winter ends, with simulation-based roster models, new multi-tasking ploughs and upgraded infrared pavement sensors forming the backbone of this season’s strategy.
A key innovation is the deployment of semi-autonomous runway sweepers equipped with LIDAR and GPS, capable of clearing a 3,000-metre runway in under 11 minutes—two minutes faster than last year. Finavia says the faster turnarounds cut runway closure time by 18 percent, an important factor for hub-and-spoke carriers such as Finnair whose banks rely on precise sequencing.
![‘SnowHow’ 2025: Finavia Details New Tech to Keep Runways Open All Winter]()
The airport group has also invested in predictive analytics: machine-learning models ingest data from the Finnish Meteorological Institute and feed de-icing demand forecasts to apron managers’ tablets, allowing proactive assignment of trucks and glycol stock. Early trials at Helsinki-Vantaa last February reduced average de-icing wait times by eight minutes.
Finavia’s winter readiness is more than an operational talking point; it underpins Finland’s attractiveness to multinational firms that need year-round, time-definite air links for executives and high-value cargo. The operator urges travel and supply-chain managers to integrate its public-facing SnowHow dashboard—which publishes live runway status and de-icing queues—into their internal risk-management feeds.
A key innovation is the deployment of semi-autonomous runway sweepers equipped with LIDAR and GPS, capable of clearing a 3,000-metre runway in under 11 minutes—two minutes faster than last year. Finavia says the faster turnarounds cut runway closure time by 18 percent, an important factor for hub-and-spoke carriers such as Finnair whose banks rely on precise sequencing.
The airport group has also invested in predictive analytics: machine-learning models ingest data from the Finnish Meteorological Institute and feed de-icing demand forecasts to apron managers’ tablets, allowing proactive assignment of trucks and glycol stock. Early trials at Helsinki-Vantaa last February reduced average de-icing wait times by eight minutes.
Finavia’s winter readiness is more than an operational talking point; it underpins Finland’s attractiveness to multinational firms that need year-round, time-definite air links for executives and high-value cargo. The operator urges travel and supply-chain managers to integrate its public-facing SnowHow dashboard—which publishes live runway status and de-icing queues—into their internal risk-management feeds.
