Finavia installs sleeping pods at Helsinki airport

19 GoSleep sleeping pods have been installed

Helsinki Airport is the first European airport offering sleeping pods for its passengers.

Finavia, the operator of Finland’s airports, has installed 19 sleeping pods at Helsinki Airport, making it the first airport in the European Union to offer this service for passengers.

At the moment, the service is available on gates 18 and 38. Pillows and blankets are also available. The price of the service is 9 euro per hour.

The GoSleep sleeping pods, designed by Finland-based Short Rest Solutions, provides passengers with peace and privacy at the airport. It is an ergonomic seat that can be turned into a bed, where a passenger can rest safe from passers-by and the noise.

Passengers can stow hand luggage under the seat and pull up a cover that will isolate them from light and noise. The seat also has a power point for charging phones or laptops while resting.

The service was tested on site in a pilot project in 2013. The pods were launched in mid-February and have received positive feedback from passengers.

Helsinki Airport vice president Heikki Koski said:

“We wish to provide passengers with an opportunity for stress-free travel and a nap between flights. Helsinki Airport has many transit passengers, who may not have had any sleep for a day or are suffering from jet lag. I believe that the service will have genuine demand.”

Short Rest Solutions CEO Jussi Piispanen said:

“The pilot project showed that passengers prefer individual sleeping pods to larger rest areas. Sleeping pods have aroused wide-spread interest in particular on gate 18, where they are available for testing for free during the spring. Based on customer feedback, we will continue to refine the service to make it even more customer-friendly.”

In 2014, Sleepinginairports.com, which evaluates sleeping possibilities in airports, selected Helsinki Airport as the world’s third most sleep-friendly airport. The GoSleep pods will surely see Helsinki move up in that ranking.

Finavia is investing in passenger experience

Finavia is investing strongly in the development of the passenger experience at Helsinki Airport. Development work has also involved passengers. Cooperation projects have brought, for example, yoga, Kainuu rest area, Book Swap point and a free art gallery to the airport.

Finavia is investing on passenger experience also by renewing the commercial services of the airport. As a results of the revamp of service points, 70 new or renovated shops and restaurants will be opened at the airport.

Internet links

Finavia

Helsinki Airport

Short Rest Solutions