Tag Archives: Finnair

Finnair and Karhu join forces to create a special sneaker for its crews

Finnair has teamed up with iconic Finnish footwear and apparel brand Karhu to design an exclusive sneaker for its ground and air crew.

The new centenary sneaker has been designed with both comfort and style in mind, and reinforces Finnair’s commitment to the well-being of its staff.

Named the ‘Finnair Mestari Control sneaker’, the shoe combines black synthetic-suede uppers with dark-blue detailing in a look that complements the sleek Nordic-inspired design of Finnair’s uniforms.  

Originally released in the 1970s as a running shoe, Karhu’s Mestari shoe quickly became popular for its classic style, durable construction, and lasting comfort.

Karhu is the first sports brand to have patented air-cushion technology, and Mestari was the first shoe to feature it.

As an aviation spin on a classic design, the Finnair Mestari Control’s midsole features an Air Cushion unit for comfort and stability, while an OrthoLite® footbed provides an extra layer of protection and softness underfoot.

Finnish designer and frequent Karhu collaborator Sasu Kauppi has added special details in the tongue label, the footbed, and on the shoebox.

The Karhu brand grabbed international attention in the 1920s through Finnish athlete Paavo Nurmi. Controversy arose when Nurmi wore white Karhu shoes during the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris, which were then considered inappropriate because of their colour. 

Widely considered one of the greatest athletes of all time, Nurmi won a total of 12 Olympic medals between 1920 and 1928. Nurmi’s success and his bold style helped to build Karhu’s reputation as a leader in sports footwear. 

The Finnair Mestari Control sneakers will be available for Finnair employees exclusively from the start of the autumn season.

Whether in the air or on the ground, many aviation jobs demand a lot of standing and walking. It’s not uncommon for a member of Cabin Crew to walk five kilometres or more during a typical 12-hour flight in the air. Meanwhile, on the ground, some airport gates can be situated a significant distance from main airport buildings, which means long walks for operating crew.

These all take their toll and can add up to long days standing and walking. Finnair’s collaboration with Karhu highlights the importance of practicality and comfort, ensuring crew can stay in step during the Nordic carrier’s busy centenary.

Finnair brings its non-recline Business Class seats, brand-new Premium Economy cabin, and refreshed Economy Class to Seattle/Tacoma

Finnair is today celebrating one year of flying to Seattle, marking a significant milestone for the Nordic carrier and its transatlantic services. 

The inaugural flight touched down in Seattle at 5:24 pm on June 1, 2022, following its nine-hour journey from Helsinki, and was marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the gate and a customary water-cannon salute.

The anniversary comes just weeks after Finnair announced flights to Seattle would feature the airline’s eye-catching new non-recline Business Class seats, brand-new Premium Economy cabin, and refreshed Economy Class. 

From today, customers travelling between Helsinki and Seattle can experience the airline’s award-winning long-haul experience and relax in style on its three times a week Airbus A330 flights to the city.

Finnair’s €200 million investment has seen its long-haul experience named ‘Cabin Concept of the Year’ winner by Onboard Hospitality, ‘Best Cabin Innovation’ winner by APEX, and ‘Best Cabin (First & Business Class)’ at the Yacht and Aviation Awards. 

Customers looking to travel to Europe can enjoy direct flights each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with AY34 leaving Seattle–Tacoma at 6:50pm, arriving back at Finnair’s home hub at 2:20pm the following day.

On the return, AY33 departs Helsinki at 5:25pm, arriving into Seattle–Tacoma International Airport at 5:10pm local time. 

Currently, Finnair offers six direct routes from the US to Helsinki, with year-round services to New York JFK, Los Angeles and Dallas, and seasonal services to Chicago, Miami and Seattle.

Finnair to lease two Airbus A330 aircraft to oneworld partner QANTAS Airways

Finnair Airbus A330-302 OH-LTR (msn 1067) MUC (Gunter Mayer). Image: 960551.

Finnair and QANTAS Airways have entered into a long-term agreement, in which Finnair first leases two Airbus A330 aircraft with crew (wet lease) to QANTAS for a period of two years, and after the wet lease period, dry leases (aircraft lease with no crew) two of its A330s to QANTAS for a period of 2.5 years, starting in 2025. The wet lease of the first aircraft will start in October 2023, and the wet lease of the second aircraft will start in early 2024. 

The agreement with QANTAS is a part of Finnair’s determined efforts to ensure the optimal use of its A330 fleet, which is range-limited in its deployment in Finnair’s own long-haul operations due to the closure of Russian airspace. The agreement with QANTAS concludes the optimization of Finnair’s fleet following the Russian airspace closure.

During the wet lease period, the aircraft will be deployed in QANTAS’ network on routes from Sydney and Singapore as well as Sydney and Bangkok. Finnair pilots will fly scheduled Finnair flights from Helsinki to Singapore and from Helsinki to Bangkok; then, they will continue flying scheduled QANTAS flights between Singapore, Bangkok and Sydney before returning to their home base in Helsinki. 

The cabin crew are provided by Finnair partners based in Singapore and Bangkok, and the aircraft maintenance is performed by Finnair partners at the QANTAS destinations. 

Finnair has secured sufficient pilot resources to match its fleet size, including the aircraft leased to QANTAS. The QANTAS agreement does not impact the number of cabin crew at Finnair, as they are fully deployed in other operations. 

The collaboration supports the efficient and profitable deployment of Finnair’s A330 fleet. Since the closure of the Russian airspace, Finnair has built a geographically more balanced network, as avoiding the Russian airspace lengthened the flight times between Finnair’s Helsinki hub and its Asian destinations.

Top Copyright Photo: Finnair Airbus A330-302 OH-LTR (msn 1067) MUC (Gunter Mayer). Image: 960551.

Finnair aircraft photo gallery:

Finnair addresses the excess carry-on baggage issue with the new Superlight ticket type and changes to baggage allowances, returns to Stockholm-Bromma

Finnair Airbus A320-214 OH-LXM (msn 2154) MUC (Gunter Mayer). Image: 960528.

Finnair is introducing a new Superlight ticket for journeys within Europe and making changes to its baggage allowances as of June 1, 2023. Excess amounts of carry-on baggage cause delays in boarding and impact both punctuality of flights and travel comfort. The changes are designed to address the issue of excess carry-on baggage on board, which is also a frequent feedback item from customers. 

As of June 1, the Superlight ticket type will replace Economy Light tickets on Finnair journeys within Europe. It includes a small bag, which goes under the seat, but no other carry-baggage. Any purchases made at the airport are counted in the allowance, so they must also fit into the underseat bag. Finnair Plus tier members travelling with a Superlight ticket will have one carry-on bag in addition to the underseat bag as a tier benefit.  

“Punctuality is very important for our customers, and the target of the changes we are now making is to ensure smooth boarding, on-time departures, and comfortable travel for everyone. Excess carry-on baggage on board is a known issue, impacting both punctuality as well as travel comfort,” says Ole Orvér, Chief Commercial Officer, Finnair. “We are also enhancing monitoring of carry-on baggage at airports, and excess carry-on baggage will be moved to the cargo hold at cost.” 

Light tickets, which include a regular carry-on bag as well as a small underseat bag, will continue to be available for long-haul journeys and for Business Class on European flights. The Classic ticket type continues to be the right choice for customers who travel with both checked and carry-on baggage.  

As of June 1, Finnair will also decrease the baggage allowance for Business Class. In addition, all special baggage allowances, such as golf bags and ski equipment, will be excluded from the new ticket classifications and will only be available for an additional charge. 

The changes that come into force as of 1 June support Finnair’s strategy implementation through more effective operations, punctual departures at airports, and by developing the offering of travel extras.

In other news, Finnair is set to relaunch flights to Stockholm-Bromma from October 29, 2023, as it improves Nordic connectivity.

Flights to the Swedish airport will operate twice per day from Monday to Friday, with an additional Sunday evening service for customers looking to enjoy a weekend getaway.

The carrier will be one of only five airlines to operate into Stockholm-Bromma, and the only airline to serve both Bromma and Arlanda, as it continues to offer customers access to most sought-after airports across the Nordic region.

Services will depart Helsinki each weekday at 7:10am and 7:45pm, arriving into Stockholm-Bromma at 7:25am and 8:00pm respectively.

On the return, flights will leave Stockholm-Bromma at 7:50am and 8:25pm each weekday, arriving into Finnair’s home at 10:05am and 10:40pm respectively.

On Sunday, services will depart Helsinki at 7:45pm, arriving into Stockholm-Bromma at 8:00pm, before returning for Finland at 8:25pm and landing in Helsinki at 10:40pm local time.

Top Copyright Photo: Finnair Airbus A320-214 OH-LXM (msn 2154) MUC (Gunter Mayer). Image: 960528.

Finnair aircraft photo gallery:

Finnair aircraft photo gallery

Finnair puts its stamp on 100 years of flying

To celebrate Finnair’s centenary, the airline has partnered with the Finnish postal service to create a special stamp. 

Designed by graphic designer Ilkka Kärkkäinen, the special centenary stamp will be available to buy from September 2023. 

The stamps can only be used for post within Finland and, like all domestic Finnish stamps, don’t have currency values printed on them.

Featuring a classic blue and white colour scheme and emblazoned with a design to evoke flying and the Finnair logo, the stamps look sure to be snapped up by collectors around the world.

The special centenary stamps are the third time the airline has partnered with the Finnish post office, having earlier done so to celebrate its 50th and 70th anniversaries in 1973 and 1993, respectively.

The special stamps will be available for sale throughout Finland from 6 September 2023 from Posti outlets, the Posti online shop, kiosks, as well as most grocery shops, bookshops and department stores. 

Dedicated philatelists are expected to add the new Finnair stamp to their collections as soon as it goes on sale.

The Posti partnership also highlights the significant role played by the Finnish postal service which provided mail for Finnair to carry on its first commercial flight, from Helsinki to Tallinn in Estonia in 1924. 

These services have been continued through to the modern day, with Finnair consistently connecting the world with airmail. 

Finnair is marking its momentous 100th birthday with a year-long programme of activities, involving customers, colleagues and stakeholders around the airline.

In March, the airline revealed a special Moomin livery for two of widebody A350 aircraft, flying to various destinations in Finnair’s worldwide network, such as London, Dallas, Tokyo and Bangkok.

In addition to the Moomin livery, Finnair Technical Operations in Helsinki have painted the centenary slogan: ‘Bringing us together since 1923’ on three other aircraft.

Finnair also recently partnered with Finnish music producer and rising star Perttu to create an exclusive immersive and soothing Spotify soundtrack to take customers on a relaxing journey through Nordic skies, whether in the air, on the ground.

Finnair to bring its renewed Business Class, brand-new Premium Economy, and refreshed Economy Class on flights to Seattle

Finnair has announced it will bring its renewed Business Class, brand-new Premium Economy, and refreshed Economy Class on flights to Seattle/Tacoma.

From May 15, 2023, customers travelling between Helsinki and the Emerald City will be able to relax in style on the Nordic carrier’s three times a week Airbus A330 flights.

Finnair was the launch customer for the brand-new concept in Business Class seats, developed in close collaboration with Collins Aerospace, maximising customer space and the freedom to move.

The unique fixed shell lounge space enables a wide variety of sitting and sleeping positions, allowing customers to make the space their own during a relaxing long-haul flight.  

The airline’s €200 million investment has seen its long-haul experience be named ‘Cabin Concept of the Year’ winner by Onboard Hospitality, ‘Best Cabin Innovation’ winner by APEX, and ‘Best Cabin (First & Business Class)’ at the Yacht and Aviation Awards. 

Currently, Finnair offers six direct routes from the US to Helsinki, with year-round services to New York JFK, Los Angeles and Dallas, and seasonal services to Chicago, Miami and Seattle.

Following this announcement, Finnair’s renewed long-haul experience can be found on US flights from Chicago, Dallas, New York and Seattle.

Finnair reports robust demand in March as its passenger load factor was on par with pre-pandemic levels

Finnair Airbus A330-302 OH-LTT (msn 1088) ARN (Stefan Sjogren). Image: 960390.

In March, Finnair carried 953,000 passengers, which was 55.1% more than in March 2022 and 15.7% more than in February 2023. Month-on-month figures are, however, not fully comparable as there were three fewer days in February.

As the COVID-19 pandemic impacts are fading, March passenger traffic figures improved year-on-year. Further, Russian airspace was closed already during the comparison period, which resulted in route and frequency cancellations in Asian traffic. The negative impact of the Russian airspace closure on Asian passenger traffic figures was, however, visible in March 2023 compared to the pre-pandemic figures. The distance-based reported traffic figures do not take into account longer routings caused by the airspace closure as they are based on Great-Circle distance. 

The overall capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASK), increased in March by 27.0% year-on-year and by 11.9% month-on-month. Finnair’s traffic, measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKs), increased by 87.7% year-on-year and by 15.6% month-on-month. The Passenger Load Factor (PLF) increased by 25.1% points year-on-year and by 2.5% points month-on-month to 77.7%. It was e.g. only 0.6% points lower than in March 2019.

The ASK increase in Asian traffic was 87.0% year-on-year. The North Atlantic capacity decreased by 42.9% as the operations between Stockholm and the North American destinations were discontinued at the end of October 2022. In European traffic, the ASKs were up by 12.5% whereas the Middle Eastern capacity increased by 539.3% due to the Qatar Airways cooperation commenced in November 2022. The ASKs in domestic traffic increased by 23.9%. 

RPKs increased in Asian traffic by 265.0% year-on-year and in North Atlantic traffic by 18.0%. In European traffic, RPKs increased by 33.9%, in Middle Eastern traffic by 507.2% and in domestic traffic by 29.5%. 

In March, the PLF improved particularly in Asian traffic (78.1%) and North Atlantic traffic (68.7%) year-on-year. The PLF was 81.3% in European traffic, 74.1% in Middle Eastern traffic and 77.4% in domestic traffic. 

Passenger numbers increased in Asian traffic by 251.0% year-on-year and in North Atlantic traffic by 15.1%. In European traffic, passenger numbers increased by 39.7%, in Middle Eastern traffic by 467.1% and in domestic traffic by 38.3%.

Many cargo figures increased year-on-year in March due to Qatar Airways cooperation and increased Asian capacity even though discontinued operations between Sweden and the US cut North Atlantic cargo capacity. Available scheduled cargo tonne kilometres increased by 28.2% year-on-year and revenue scheduled cargo tonne kilometres increased by 18.3%. The total cargo tonnes (including cargo-only operations) increased by 16.3% year-on-year. Month-on-month increase of 14.6% was mainly explained by the longer month.  

In March, 84.6% of all Finnair flights arrived on schedule (85.7%). 

Traffic statistics for April 2023 will be published on Friday 5 May 2023. 

Finnair Traffic Performance March 2023
Month% Change YTD% Change 
Total traffic
Passengers 1,000953.055.12,592.771.8
Available seat kilometres mill2,988.127.08,550.223.6
Revenue passenger kilometres mill2,322.487.76,418.496.3
Passenger load factor %77.725.1p75.127.8p
Cargo tonnes total11,321.816.330,658.3-11.8
Available tonne kilometres mill429.620.01,221.96.2
Revenue tonne kilometres mill275.956.9761.542.6
Asia
Passengers 1,000  112.4 251.0 321.8 202.5
Available seat kilometres mill1,089.9 87.03,159.0 46.4
Revenue passenger kilometres mill  851.3 265.02,417.0 202.4
Passenger load factor % 78.1 38.1p 76.5 39.5p
Europe
Passengers 1,000  540.6 39.71,445.6 57.8
Available seat kilometres mill 1,076.1 12.53,036.1 21.8
Revenue passenger kilometres mill  874.8 33.92,346.5 52.1
Passenger load factor %  81.3 13.0p 77.3 15.4p
North Atlantic
Passengers 1,000  31.4 15.1 81.9 10.4
Available seat kilometres mill  354.5– 42.9 981.4– 43.4
Revenue passenger kilometres mill  243.6 18.0 636.8 12.7
Passenger load factor %  68.7 35.5p 64.9 32.3p
Middle East
Passengers 1,000  47.5 467.1 141.0 592.9
Available seat kilometres mill  283.2 539.3 829.4 589.2
Revenue passenger kilometres mill  209.9 507.2 625.6 615.9
Passenger load factor %  74.1– 3.9p 75.4 2.8p
Domestic
Passengers 1,000  221.1 38.3 602.5 53.7
Available seat kilometres mill  184.4 23.9 544.3 32.6
Revenue passenger kilometres mill  142.8 29.5 392.4 42.9
Passenger load factor %  77.4 3.4p 72.1 5.2p
Cargo traffic
Europe tonnes1,726.340.14,336.837.4
North Atlantic tonnes1,363.7-59.93,894.3-54.2
Middle East tonnes2,115.7541.85,901.5490.9
Asia tonnes6,002.162.616,321.215.0
Domestic tonnes34.611.297.89.7
Cargo scheduled traffic total tonnes11,242.429.430,551.613.4
Cargo flights tonnes**79.4-92.4106.6-98.6
Cargo traffic tonnes total11,321.816.330,658.3-11.8
Available tonne kilometres* mill 119.7 15.7 342.2– 11.6
Revenue tonne kilometres mill 68.4 4.2 187.8– 22.5
Available sched. cargo tonne kms* mill 118.8 28.2 340.9 9.7
Revenue sched. cargo tonne kms mill 67.8 18.3 187.1 2.2
Cargo load factor* % 57.1– 6.3p 54.9– 7.7p
– North-Atlantic cargo load factor* % 53.3– 13.8p 53.7– 4.9p
– Asia cargo load factor* % 63.0– 2.2p 59.9– 4.9p
Scheduled traffic cargo load factor* % 57.1– 4.8p 54.9– 4.0p

* Based on average operational cargo capacity

** Including purchased traffic

  • Change %: Change compared to the figures of the respective periods in the previous year (p = points, N/A = not available).
  • Available seat kilometres. ASK: Total number of seats available multiplied by kilometres flown. 
  • Revenue passenger kilometres. RPK: Number of revenue passengers carried multiplied by kilometres flown.
  • Passenger load factor: Share of revenue passenger kilometres of available seat kilometres.
  • Available tonne kilometres. ATK: Number of tonnes of capacity for carriage of passengers, cargo and mail multiplied by kilometres flown.
  • Revenue tonne kilometres. RTK: Total revenue load consisting of passengers, cargo and mail multiplied by kilometres flown.
  • Overall load factor: Share of revenue tonne kilometres of available tonne kilometres.

Top Copyright Photo: Finnair Airbus A330-302 OH-LTT (msn 1088) ARN (Stefan Sjogren). Image: 960390.

Finnair aircraft photo gallery:

Finnair aircraft photo gallery
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Finnair to discontinue two of its shortest domestic routes due to economic and environmental considerations

Finnair will cease flying two of its shortest domestic routes, replacing air service between its Helsinki hub and the cities of Turku and Tampere with a bus connection as of May 1, 2023. 

The flights are operated by Norra – Nordic Regional Airlines.

Finnair has already replaced its mid-day flights from these cities with bus connections to lower the CO2 footprint of the routes. Road and rail options are a more environmentally sustainable option for connecting these cities to Finnair’s Helsinki hub.

 

“The flights to Tampere and Turku are very short, and the relatively low passenger numbers – around 35 percent load factors – on these routes cause them to have a higher CO2 emission per passenger than many other short routes in our network, ” says Perttu Jolma, Vice President, Network. “Road, or rail, transportation is a more sustainable option for connections between Helsinki Airport and these cities.” 

The scheduled flight time to Turku and Tampere is 35 minutes, but the actual flight time is about 25 minutes. 

Most customers arriving at Helsinki Airport for Finnair flights, for example, from the Tampere region, already come by bus, train, or car. This was already the case before the COVID-19 pandemic: 70 percent of Finnair Plus members with home addresses in Tampere started their flights from Helsinki Airport rather than from Tampere, despite the several daily flights available. 

During the summer of 2023, Finnair will operate four bus services per day between Turku and Helsinki Airport and four bus services per day between Tampere and Helsinki Airport. As of May 8, these routes start from the central bus stations of Turku and Tampere. 

Bus connections can be purchased together with the connecting flight. With the bus connection included in the booking, Finnair also guarantees connections in case bus or flight schedules are delayed. In addition, customers arriving by bus to Helsinki Airport can use priority check-in, bag drop, and security for a smooth connection. The buses run on biodiesel and have internet connectivity and USB charging possibilities for convenience.

Video:

Noora aircraft photo gallery:

Finnair-Norra-Nordic Regional Airlines aircraft photo gallery

Finnair to start flying to Ljubljana and Bodø

Finnair Airbus A321-231 WL OH-LZI (msn 5922) ZRH (Rolf Wallner). Image: 937005.

Finnair is adding new routes for the summer season.

Along with Milan Malpensa Airport, the airline is now also flying to Milan Linate Airport.

From April 10 onwards, Finnair will fly to Ljubljana and from May 27 onwards to Bodø in Norway.

Top Copyright Photo: Finnair Airbus A321-231 WL OH-LZI (msn 5922) ZRH (Rolf Wallner). Image: 937005.

Finnair aircraft photo gallery:

Finnair aircraft photo gallery

Finnair shifts its sustainability efforts up a gear

Finnair Airbus A321-211 OH-LZB (msn 961) ZRH (Andi Hiltl). Image: 941814.

Finnair is shifting its sustainability efforts up a gear with the launch of a new range of environmentally focussed initiatives.

The new projects are aimed at helping the airline reach its target of being carbon neutral by the end of 2045 and will contribute towards reducing Finnair’s overall carbon footprint.

This month, the Nordic airline introduced 105 new electric-powered ground equipment vehicles, as part of its plan to reduce its carbon footprint and achieve net-zero emissions in non-flight operations by the end of 2023.

The investment includes dedicated Volkswagen ID.Buzz electric vans, which will support Finnair’s Technical Operations on the ground in Helsinki and reduce CO2 emissions.

Following this move, 45% of Finnair’s motorised ground equipment will be electric or hybrid – a testament to the airline’s commitment to sustainability.

While the airline has made great strides towards transforming its ground handling equipment to become totally electrically powered, some vehicles will remain conventionally powered for operational and risk reduction reasons, especially during Finland’s demanding winter conditions.

After reaching its goal to halve single-use plastic waste onboard by 2022, Finnair is also taking actions onboard to reduce single-use plastic and increase its recycling rate.

From today, customers can enjoy bamboo toothbrushes and mint toothpaste, developed for Finnair by the Swedish sustainability-focused company, The Humble Co.

The newly designed toothbrush and toothpaste are available to customers travelling in Business Class and Premium Economy upon request.

Photo: Finnair

The flag carrier also recently announced the purchase of 750 tons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from its partner, Neste, for use on flights departing from Helsinki Airport.

This week, Finnair was ranked by Finns as the most sustainable brand among the airlines included in the Sustainable Brand Index 2023.

This follows the airline’s recent move to switch shorter domestic flights to buses, the launch of carbon offsetting, and also the additional investment in setting a science-based target for reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Top Copyright Photo: Finnair Airbus A321-211 OH-LZB (msn 961) ZRH (Andi Hiltl). Image: 941814.

Finnair aircraft photo gallery:

Finnair aircraft photo gallery
Volume 1

Finnair is set to open Dallas/Fort Worth and to resume services to Chicago (O’Hare) and Seattle/Tacoma

Finnair Airbus A350-941 OH-LWL (msn 134) (Marinekko Kivet) AMS (Ton Jochems). Image: 957638.

Finnair is preparing to spring into summer with one of its biggest North American schedules to date.

The Nordic carrier is set to operate 21 flights a week from five major cities across North America to its Helsinki hub this summer, giving customers greater choice. 

Popular year-round services from New York JFK and Los Angeles will continue into the summer, with flights operating daily and three times a week respectively.

Those looking to travel from Texas can also make use of the airline’s convenient connection from Dallas/Fort Worth to Helsinki, which operates four times a week.

This month also marks a year since services started from Dallas/Fort Worth, with Finnair launching services from the ‘Big D’ on March 27, 2023. 

From March 27, 2023, Finnair is also set to resume flights to Midwest in Chicago (O’Hare) and West Coast in Seattle/Tacoma, with three to four weekly services to Finland, giving customers great access across the whole continent.

By early 2024, Finnair plans to have refitted all its long-haul aircraft with the award-winning new cabin, giving transatlantic customers a modern Nordic experience.

Alongside the five US cities served by Finnair this summer, the airline also operates a thrice weekly service from Miami during the winter months.

Top Copyright Photo: Finnair Airbus A350-941 OH-LWL (msn 134) (Marinekko Kivet) AMS (Ton Jochems). Image: 957638.

Finnair aircraft photo gallery:

Finnair aircraft photo gallery
Volume 1

Finnair to resume flights to Osaka, Japan

Finnair Airbus A350-941 OH-LWC (msn 020) MUC (Gunter Mayer). Image: 960315.

Finnair is set to resume passenger flights to the Japanese city of Osaka this Sunday, March 26, 2023, after a one-year hiatus.

Flights from Helsinki to Kansai International Airport will initially operate three times per week, with flights departing Finland on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, and returning from Japan on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday.

Services will depart the Finnish capital at 17:45, arriving into Osaka at 12:35 the following afternoon. On the return, flights will leave Osaka at 22:25, arriving in Finnair’s Helsinki hub at 05:30 the following morning.

Top Copyright Photo: Finnair Airbus A350-941 OH-LWC (msn 020) MUC (Gunter Mayer). Image: 960315.

Finnair aircraft photo gallery:

Finnair aircraft photo gallery

Finnair purchases 750 tons of Neste MY sustainable aviation fuel

Finnair Airbus A330-302 OH-LTP (msn 1023) ARN (Stefan Sjogren). Image: 960312.

Finnair is increasing the use of sustainable aviation fuel as part of its goal to reduce carbon emissions from flying. Finnair has purchased 750 tons of sustainable aviation fuel from its partner Neste for use on flights departing from Helsinki Airport. Finnair’s customers are also involved in reducing carbon dioxide emissions from flights: a small part of the price of each flight ticket is directed to the costs of using sustainable aviation fuel. 

Finnair aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, and sustainable aviation fuel is one of the most essential tools for reducing air travel emissions in the coming years. Using Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80%* over the fuel’s life cycle compared to using fossil jet fuel. The fuel volume now purchased is Finnair’s largest single batch of sustainable aviation fuel purchased to date. The SAF will be delivered by Neste to Helsinki Airport in early 2023. The 750 tons of SAF corresponds to approximately 400 flights between Helsinki and Stockholm using unblended, 100% SAF.  

Photo: Finnair

Increasing the use of SAF will increase the airline’s costs, as SAF is clearly more expensive than fossil fuel. Finnair is preparing for this by allocating a small portion of each flight ticket sold, about 20 cents per ticket, to the cost of sustainable aviation fuel. This share may be higher in the future as the operating obligations imposed on airlines increase the use of SAF.  

Finnair also encourages its customers to reduce the carbon emissions of their flights through their actions: since spring 2022, Finnair has offered its customers the opportunity to reduce the emissions of flying by combining sustainable aviation fuels and certified emission reduction projects. The service operates on the website of Finnair’s partner Chooose. 

Sustainable aviation fuel 

SAF is a renewable aviation fuel providing a more sustainable alternative to conventional, fossil-based jet fuel. Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel is produced from sustainably sourced, 100% renewable waste and residue raw materials, including used cooking oil and animal fat waste. Finnair is committed to the oneworld alliance’s aspiration of using 10% sustainable aviation fuel by 2030 and will also participate in oneworld’s joint procurements in 2025-2032. The use of SAF will also be increased due to the upcoming EU obligation to use SAF. 

 *) When used in neat form (i.e. unblended) and calculated with established life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies, such as CORSIA methodology 

Top Copyright Photo: Finnair Airbus A330-302 OH-LTP (msn 1023) ARN (Stefan Sjogren). Image: 960312.

Finnair aircraft photo gallery:

Finnair aircraft photo gallery

Finnair will not increase subcontracting in inflight services in Finland

Finnair Airbus A330-302 OH-LTM (msn 994) AMS (Ton Jochems). Image: 960269.

Finnair issued this statement:

A savings agreement has been reached with Finnair’s cabin crew. As a result, Finnair has today concluded the change negotiations it started in November and discontinued the subcontracting plan for inflight services on routes to/from Thailand and North America. The savings agreement is valid until the end of 2025.

Finnair has earlier agreed on savings with pilots, senior white-collar employees and engineers, and cabin crew based in Japan and Korea, and made local agreements that increase efficiency in Finnair Technical Services and different ground operation units. The savings agreements cover 87% of Finnair’s personnel. 
 

The cabin crew’s agreement includes, among other things, elements to increase the efficiency of cabin crew usage, changes to long-day compensation and, for example, changes to the crew layover hotel rules. With the agreement, cabin crew is included in Finnair’s staff incentive plan 2023-2025, along with all other employee groups who have made savings agreements. The staff incentive plan will produce a payout in the first quarter of 2026 if Finnair achieves the EBIT margin target set in the plan.

About 1,750 employees work as Finnair cabin crew in Finland.

In connection with the savings agreement, it was also agreed that the collective agreement applicable to Finnair’s cabin crew in Finland will be extended by one year, i.e. until January 31, 2025. In addition, a negotiation result was achieved on salary settlement for 2023 and 2024, which follows the general line of the technology industry. The salary settlement is subject to administrative approval.

Top Copyright Photo: Finnair Airbus A330-302 OH-LTM (msn 994) AMS (Ton Jochems). Image: 960269.

Finnair aircraft photo gallery:

Finnair aircraft photo gallery

Finnair to have its biggest summer schedule since 2020

Finnair Airbus A319-112 OH-LVK (msn 2124) ZRH (Rolf Wallner). Image: 959423.

Finnair is hopping into spring with its biggest schedule since 2020, as the airline continues to recover its network and prepares for a busy summer.

During March, the carrier is expected to operate over 8,500 flights, the highest number since February 2020, according to data from the aviation analytics firm Cirium.

The number of scheduled Finnair flights in March 2023 is up by nearly a third (29%) compared to the same period last year, as the Nordic carrier restores routes around the world.

To complement the bumper schedule, Finnair is set to launch four new routes this spring, as the airline gears up for summer, offering customers a greater choice of destinations.

Customers looking to return to Japan can make use of the airline’s outstanding Osaka service which will relaunch on March 26, 2023, while those flying to destinations around Europe can enjoy new services to Bodø, Ljubljana and Milan Linate.

The network expansion means Finnair will serve 19 long-haul destinations this year across North America, Asia and the Middle East.

Finnair Airbus A350-900

From March 26, 2023, Finnair will also introduce their elevated long-haul experience on flights to Chicago, Delhi and Hong Kong, as the airline continues to refit its fleet of widebody aircraft with brand new cabins.

The €200 million investment includes a brand-new Business Class, exciting new Premium Economy cabin, and refreshed Economy Class as part of a major investment to enhance the customer experience. 

Finnair’s global services have been specifically timed to allow for easy connections onto the airline’s European destinations – including top UK airports, London Heathrow, Manchester, Edinburgh and the Irish capital Dublin.

Finnair offers smooth and easy transfers between flights from as little as 35 minutes, thanks to all flights operating from the same terminal.

Top Copyright Photo: Finnair Airbus A319-112 OH-LVK (msn 2124) ZRH (Rolf Wallner). Image: 959423.

Finnair aircraft photo gallery:

Finnair aircraft photo gallery

Two Finnair A350 aircraft get a Moomin makeover

Finnair is turning 100 years in November 2023. To mark the centenary, the beloved Moomin characters are featured on the livery of two Finnair widebody aircraft for the duration of the year. 
 
Finnair has taped a picture of Moomintroll and Snorkmaiden in the livery of two of its Airbus A350 aircraft. The registration numbers of the aircraft are OH-LWP and OH-LWO. The Moomin aircraft will fly to various long-haul destinations in Finnair’s network, like Dallas, Tokyo and Bangkok. 

Photo: Finnair


 
“Finnair’s mission is to enrich life by bridging the world. This is also the theme of our centenary. Moomins represent friendship, community and going on adventures together, so they are a great fit for our values,” says Finnair’s CEO Topi Manner. “Customers will be able to see the centenary in many ways throughout 2023, as we remember our heritage and look forward to the next 100 years.” 
 
“Finnair is one of Moomin’s major licensees and we’ve been working together since the 1990s. We’re very happy to see this collaboration extended with the new Moomin livery on Finnair aircraft,” says Roleff Kråkström, Managing Director of Moomin Characters Ltd. 
“Moomin is a character-brand grounded in the universal and timeless values of tolerance, acceptance and friendship upon which Nordic societies are built. These are the values that come to life in the Moomin embrace depicted in the Finnair 100 livery,” says Kråkström. 
 
Last time the Moomins were seen in Finnair aircraft livery was in the mid-1990s.The new centenary livery was taped by HAECO in Hong Kong.
 
In addition to the Moomin livery, Finnair Technical Operations in Helsinki have painted the centennary slogan “Bringing us together since 1923” on three other aircraft. The registration numbers of the aircraft are OH-LWR (A350), OH-LXM (A320) and OH-LXK (A320). 

Finnair to wet lease four Airbus A320s to British Airways

Finnair Airbus A320-214 OH-LXL (msn 2146) LHR (SPA). Image: 925199.

Finnair has signed an agreement with British Airways to wet lease four Airbus A320s starting on March 24, 2023 for 12 months.

The aircraft will be crewed by Finnair.

Top Copyright Photo: Finnair Airbus A320-214 OH-LXL (msn 2146) LHR (SPA). Image: 925199.

Finnair aircraft photo gallery:

Finnair aircraft photo gallery

How heavier Finnair flights could lighten the financial load

Finnair has modified ten of its flagship Airbus A350s to carry more customers and cargo as it continues to increase capacity across its popular Asian routes.

The Finnish carrier has worked with Airbus to increase the maximum take-off weight for a specially selected number of its state-of-the-art aircraft as demand for flights to and from Asia has risen.

Modifications made involve minor changes and updates to aircraft’s software and placards and manuals in cooperation with aircraft manufacturer Airbus.

The Nordic airline made the changes to aircraft which regularly serve Seoul and Tokyo, two of the carrier’s longer intercontinental routes.

Each route has been made longer following the closure of Russian airspace which has forced Finnair to replan its flights and detour around Russia, consuming more fuel than used previously.

The normally lighter take-off weight had limited the number of customers and the amount of cargo each aircraft could carry, given the extended flight times.

But now after the modifications each aircraft can carry more customers and cargo – and importantly more fuel to fly the longer flight times between Finland and South Korea and Japan – as well as increasing the economic efficiency of each flight.  

These modifications form part of Finnair’s strategy to restore profitability and increase payloads, in spite of airspace closures and increased flight times.

Before, the maximum take-off weight of Finnair’s A350 fleet was 268 tonnes. Now the maximum take-off weight for five aircraft has been increased to 275 tonnes, and the remaining five to 280 tonnes. 

The maximum take-off weight increase enables more customers and cargo to be carried, with the total capacity expected to be increased by up to eight tonnes, depending on the aircraft’s respective maximum take-off weight, route as well as flight times conditions.

The plane and fuel together make up most of an aircraft’s weight, followed by customers, with a full plane weighing approximately 24,000kg. Checked-in bags typically weigh an additional 5,500kg, with cargo adding an extra 15,000kg.

Aircraft software compensates for the centre of gravity change and maintains the same handling characteristics, meaning that flying the aircraft does not change. 

Each aircraft’s new maximum take-off weight is taken into account by experts at Finnair’s daily flight operations in their Helsinki hub.

The modifications were completed during the two first weeks in January, and operation with the new maximum take-off weight began on January 18, 2023.

Top Copyright Photo: Finnair Airbus A350-941 OH-LWG (msn 051) MUC (Gunter Mayer). Image: 959999.

Finnair aircraft photo gallery: