Imposition by Finland of a public service obligation relating to the scheduled air service on the Helsinki — Mikkeli — Savonlinna route   (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2005-09-28
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Finland, air transport, airline, inland transport, public service, transport capacity, transport price

C 238/2

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

28.9.2005

Imposition by Finland of a public service obligation relating to the scheduled air service on the
Helsinki — Mikkeli — Savonlinna route

(2005/C 238/02)

(Text with EEA relevance)

1.
In accordance with Article 4(1)(a) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2408/92 of 23 July 1992 on access
for Community air carriers to intra-Community air routes, the Finnish Government (Ministry of Transport
and Communications) has decided to impose a public service obligation relating to scheduled flights on the
Helsinki-Mikkeli-Savonlinna route from 1 November 2005 to 31 December 2006, except during the
period from 30 June 2006 to 30 July 2006.

2.

The following service conditions will apply.

2.1 Minimum number of flights

The minimum number of flights on the Helsinki-Savonlinna route will be three in each direction on
working days from Monday to Friday, not including public holidays. The itinerary for the early
morning flight will be Savonlinna-Mikkeli-Helsinki and the itinerary for the late evening flight will be
Helsinki-Mikkeli-Savonlinna.

On Saturdays there must be at least one connection from Savonlinna to Helsinki and on Sundays at
least one connection from Helsinki via Mikkeli to Savonlinna.

The timetable may be altered at Christmas and other holiday periods according to demand.

2.2 Number of seats

Capacity on each flight must be at least 30 seats. The average monthly seat-occupancy rate must not
exceed 80 %. There should be enough luggage/cargo capacity to enable each passenger, on a full flight
in normal weather conditions, to carry on 8 kg in hand luggage and put at least 20 kg in the hold.

2.3 Timetable

On Mondays to Fridays, a flight must leave Savonlinna and Mikkeli airports early enough in the
morning to reach Helsinki-Vantaa in time for the main international connections and, in the evening,
a flight must leave for Savonlinna and Mikkeli late enough for travellers arriving on the main interna-
tional connections to catch.

On Mondays to Fridays a flight must leave Helsinki-Vantaa airport early enough to reach Savonlinna
airport by 8.45 am.

There must also be a flight, on Mondays to Fridays, leaving Savonlinna in time to reach Helsinki-
Vantaa between 8.45 and 9.45. There must be an evening departure from Helsinki-Vantaa back to
Savonlinna, and a departure after working hours from Savonlinna to Helsinki.

On Saturday mornings there must be a flight from Savonlinna to Helsinki-Vantaa. On Sunday, there
must be a late evening flight from Helsinki-Vantaa via Mikkeli to Savonlinna.

2.4 Fares

A single ticket between Savonlinna and Helsinki must not cost more than EUR 168, inclusive of all
taxes and charges and a single ticket between Mikkeli and Helsinki must not cost more than EUR 163.
Cheaper ticket categories must be available and must account for at least 15 % of all tickets.

28.9.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 238/3

The carrier must agree on an interline arrangement for the route covered by the public-service obliga-
tion with at least one carrier operating a service out of Helsinki-Vantaa. The interline agreement
should be on the same or equivalent terms and conditions and should follow, with regard to fares on
the route, the pro rata system in accordance with international rules. The PSO carrier must conclude
interline agreements, with the same or equivalent conditions, with any other interested carrier oper-
ating air services from Helsinki-Vantaa airport. The carrier must provide the Ministry of Transport and
Communications with any information concerning the interline agreements and their contents which
it needs for the purpose of carrying out checks.

The carrier must have an international reservation and ticketing system operation in Finland and an
IATA interline agreement with through-pricing and luggage-handling arrangements.
Information
concerning prices and timetables must be included in the international reservations and ticketing
system.

The carrier must have a cooperation agreement covering through-pricing with at least one company
that flies to foreign destinations from Helsinki-Vantaa airport.

Flights must be marketed using at least one computerised reservations system.

2.5 Continuity of service

A carrier intending to operate scheduled flights on this route must give an undertaking to provide the
service required under the public-service obligation until the end of October 2006.

The operation of air services on the route in question without regard to the abovementioned public
service obligation may result in administrative and/or criminal penalties.

2.6 Accessibility for people with functional disabilities

The carrier must ensure that provision is made for the needs of people with functional disabilities.

Passenger numbers: general information

Table 1. Number of passengers between Savonlinna and Helsinki, 2001-2003

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Total

2001

1980

2207

2582

2121

2494

3225

9556

5433

2266

2301

2478

1515 38 158

2002

2080

2193

2172

2137

2780

2660

9058

3866

1960

2522

2774

1908 36 110

2003

2176

2197

2503

1967

2242

2830

8590

2496

1795

2167

2079

1514 32 556

Table 2. Number of passengers between Mikkeli and Helsinki, 2001-2003

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Total

2001

252

297

395

260

366

216

2002

253

286

238

316

277

205

2003

220

277

234

211

258

169

-

-

-

234

280

321

337

125

3 083

220

293

306

305

195

2 894

204

241

278

235

191

2 518