Finnair Trains Pilots for Growing Daily GPS Signal Interference in the Baltic
Finnair's Response to GPS Interference Challenges
By Gianluca Lo Nostro
Adapting Pilot Training and Operations
Sept 24 (Reuters) - Finnair has adapted its pilot training and operations to deal with daily GPS interference in the Baltic region, a growing challenge that is drawing interest from airlines elsewhere, CEO Turkka Kuusisto told Reuters on Thursday.
Focus on Airspace Safety
"Our pilots are first and foremost trained to operate in an airspace where we face GPS interference, because that's a daily issue," Kuusisto told Reuters in an interview.
Regional Security and Flight Rerouting
European airlines operating near NATO's eastern flank face growing security challenges as the war in Ukraine enters its fifth year. Finnair has stopped flying over Russia and Belarus, rerouting its flights and increasing exposure to a Baltic region that has become a hotspot for electronic warfare.
Intensified Interference in the Baltic
Interference across the Baltic region has intensified sharply this year. Poland's Communications Institute said in August that GPS and other satellite navigation signals along Poland's Baltic coast were disrupted on most days during the summer.
Impact on Flight Operations
In 2024, Finnair was forced to suspend flights to Tartu in eastern Estonia for about a month after GPS interference in the area prevented its aircraft from conducting safe approaches.
Industry Perspective and International Interest
While modern aircraft can continue operating safely using multiple backup navigation systems, Kuusisto said the scale of interference had expanded markedly since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, especially over the Baltic Sea.
Global Airline Reactions
"When I spoke with some of the CEOs who are not that active in Europe, they don't face it in North America or Australia," Kuusisto said. "They are to some extent a bit surprised that it is a daily burden, but when they learn that we can also operate and our pilots have been trained, they're actually quite interested."
(Reporting by Gianluca Lo Nostro; Editing by)
