FINLAND. Domestic travellers at Helsinki Airport can now shop at any of the airport stores following a tax-free sales amendment that came into force on 25 February.
Airport operator Finavia said that all passengers can now buy tax-free shops’ products, such as confectionery, cosmetics and gifts. For the time being, tobacco and alcohol products can only be sold to passengers travelling outside of Finland.
Purchases by domestic passengers include VAT and excise duties – the same as with purchases by passengers travelling to other EU countries. Sales to passengers travelling to a destination outside the EU will continue to be tax-free.
Helsinki Airport has tax-free stores in the Schengen and non-Schengen areas.
“We are delighted that there are now more shopping opportunities for domestic passengers at the airport,” said Finavia Director of Commercial Services at Helsinki Airport Nora Immonen. “We believe that domestic passengers will find their way to the wide range of products offered by the tax-free shops at Helsinki Airport.”
“We have been looking forward to this change. Finland has been an exception in European terms, and it has been difficult for passengers such as tourists from Central Europe travelling to Lapland via Helsinki Airport to understand why they cannot buy anything from our shops,” commented Sini Syväjärvi, Finland General Manager of WDFG Helsinki, which operates Dufry shops at Helsinki Airport.
“We are very happy that we are now able to serve all passengers at the airport and offer them a wide range of products from top international brands and popular domestic brands, with the help of our expert sales staff,”
Previously the stores could only sell VAT-free products to passengers travelling to a non-EU destination. It has also been possible to sell products to passengers travelling outside Finland to other EU countries, but in such cases the sales have been subject to tax.
In other Helsinki Airport news, GLO Hotel reopened on 1 March with a new entrance and resting spaces. The hotel has 76 rooms that can be booked for one or several nights or for daytime use only.
