Ann-Britt Högman is highly committed to the daily operations and further development that takes place in parallel at Pajala Airport.
“Pajala Airport has undergone a positive transformation process in recent years. The ambition for the airport is as high as for other and significantly larger airports. Just like larger airports, Pajala Airport has a strong sustainability vision with an aspiration to become a fossil-free airport, we have a prominent growth strategy and have set milestones to get there”, says Ann-Britt.
Working for a fossil-free flight
A new arrivals hall is already in place with increased capacity as a result, and the development work continues in order to be able to welcome even more happy tourists to Pajala in the near future. At the same time, intensive work is underway to make Pajala Airport a fossil-free airport. Here, Ann-Britt runs several environmental improvement projects, the largest of which is the Green Airport climate project.
“Green Airport covers Sweden’s regional airports and relies heavily on consumer demand for sustainable travel. We have as high a demand for sustainable travel in Pajala as larger airports. The project includes two major goals: by 2030, all domestic traffic must be fossil-free, and by 2045, all foreign traffic that starts from Sweden must also be fossil-free. In order to reach the goals, all airports still have a lot to do, but we have come a long way here in Pajala”, says Ann-Britt.
The Green Airport project includes, among other things, work to increase the production of biofuels for aviation. For a smaller airport like Pajala Airport, the environmental efforts mean heavy investments, but here they rely on politics that understands the value of investing in green development and not least the green aviation that all airports in Sweden are working towards now.
Inspiring and developing work
Working at Pajala Airport involves many different roles in one, which Ann-Britt sees as very inspiring and developing. In addition to her role as safety and environmental coordinator, Ann-Britt also serves as AFIS Officer, i.e. air traffic controller, who provides flight information to all the traffic in the airspace.
“I have attended training in Malmö and am now undergoing training for the role of air traffic controller in Pajala. It is a good example of how we who work at a smaller airport have the opportunity to develop in many different areas. All work at Pajala Airport involves a lot of responsibility, no two days are the same, and you feel that you really make a difference every day. That is what motivates me”, says Ann-Britt in conclusion.
