Finnair temporarily suspends flights between Helsinki and Tartu

Finnair has announced that it is suspending its flights between Helsinki and Tartu from 29 April-31 May due to interference with GPS signals. The airline itself will contact all passengers who have purchased flight tickets for this period via SMS or e-mail.

Last week, two Finnair flights had to return to Helsinki due to GPS issues over Estonia. Estonian Air Navigation Services (EANS) and Finnair will be looking into alternative solutions to the use of GPS in May so that flights can resume safely.

GPS signal jamming has recently intensified and represents a new situation for air traffic. In March, EANS implemented an alternative navigation solution, DME-DME, so as to support air traffic at an altitude of 3 km and above. Considering the new situation, EANS has started looking for additional ways of supporting airlines at lower altitudes.

In addition to GPS, Tartu Airport has a precision landing system or ILS for landing in one direction, which is based on information emanating from the equipment on the ground at the airport, as well as the heading beacon and glideslope beacon. At present, there are concerns about how to support airlines when flying at altitudes lower than 3 km.

Tallinn Airport hopes that Finnair and EANS find a suitable solution so that flights can continue in safety once again.