It is likely that there will be disruptions in ground services, baggage handling and food and beverage catering for flights during the strike days. The political strike is also likely to be visible in traffic on the days following the strike, as all Finnair flights are round trip flights, and the scheduled return of a cancelled flight may also take place on the following days.
Several trade unions in Finland January 19, announced a 48-hour political industrial action which will impact also air transport from 1 to 2 February 2024.
Finnair is currently assessing the extent of the impact of the industrial action on Finnair flights, but it is already now clear that the political strike will have a significant impact on Finnair’s operations, and will result in flight cancellations. Finnair has approximately 60,000 customers on 1-2 February whose travel plans may be affected by the strike.
Finnair has not yet made any changes to its traffic program for February 1.-2.,but offers customers the opportunity to change their flight to another Finnair flight so that the flight does not fall on strike days. Customers who have a booking between 31 January and 3 February can choose to travel earlier or postpone their travel so that the travel date is no later than March 15, 2024. If the customer’s ticket type allows changes, they can change travel dates via Manage Booking on Finnair’s website. If the customer’s ticket type does not allow changes, the change to the travel date can be made by contacting the travel agency that booked the ticket or Finnair Customer Care.
“It is clear that the strike will cause flight cancellations, and we hope that as many customers as possible will find a suitable replacement flight well in advance and thus can avoid uncertainty in their travel plans,” says Jari Paajanen, Vice President, Operations Control at Finnair. “We also ask customers to be patient, as our customer service may become congested due to the situation.”
Finnair will start cancelling flights once the effects of the strike on Finnair’s traffic have become clearer and will then communicate cancellations directly to all customers whose flights are cancelled and who have not changed their travel dates already. Customers can check their up-to-date contact information on Finnair’s website in Manage Booking. If the customer has not changed their flight date and the flight has to be cancelled, Finnair will offer customers a new route to the destination.
“We aim to re-route customers to flights either before or after the strike. We communicate directly to customers about changes to their flights as soon as flight cancellations are made,” says Paajanen.
“We are very sorry that political industrial action unrelated to Finnair is disrupting our customers’ business and leisure travel plans. There are also many foreign tourists in Finland, and the situation inevitably affects the image they have of Finland,” Paajanen says.
Finnair adds flights to Nordic holiday destinations for the peak summer season
Finnair is also adding flights to some of its most popular Nordic holiday destinations for the peak summer holiday season between end of June and August, in response to demand from both European and Asian travellers.
“Northern Europe with its fresh air and beautiful nature attracts travelers who see authentic experiences”, says Ole Orvér, Chief Commercial Officer, Finnair. “We offer holiday travelers excellent connections across the Nordics with smooth connections via our Helsinki hub.”
Finnair restores flights to Bodø, which is located right above the Arctic Circle in Northern Norway, and flies to Bodø five times per week between June 17 and August 2. Finnair also adds flights to Trondheim in Norway, flying to Trondheim 10 weekly flights from June to end of August. Both of these cities offer excellent opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts and those seeking to experience the stunning nature in Northern Norway. Flights to Bodø and Trondheim connect smoothly to Finnair’s international network.
Finnair also adds flights to Kuusamo, Ivalo and Kittilä in Northern Finland, as the Finnish Lapland increasingly attracts holiday travelers also during the summer season. Finnair is the only airline serving the Finnish Lapland year-round. The authentic nature experiences, fresh air and the white nights of Finnish Lapland are increasingly attractive to both international and domestic holiday travelers. Flights to these destinations connect smoothly to and from Finnair’s European and US network.
Finnair also flies to Visby in Gotland, Sweden, from end of June to early August, with five weekly frequencies. The medieval city of Visby on the charming island of Gotland is an ideal summer destination and included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
