Review: Finnair - a Reflection of Nordic Quality?
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We have flown multiple times with Finnair, the Finnish state-owned carrier that operates flights to destinations in Europe, America, and Asia. In this review, we share our experiences with Finnair and rate the airline.
Covered in the Article
Finnair - Finnish Flag Carrier
Finnair is an airline from the land of Santa Claus. It is one of the world's oldest airlines, founded in 1923. Finnair has an excellent safety record and is a respected player in the Nordic aviation market.
Finnair used to be a full-inclusive airline. Nowadays, the cheapest tickets include only the most necessary services, and you must pay separately for extras. This is the trend that almost all traditional airlines in Europe are following, and Finnair does not make an exception. There are no more real differences between traditional and low-cost airlines in Europe.
Route Network
Helsinki Airport is the only hub of Finnair. Finnair has long-haul routes from Helsinki to various destinations in Asia and North America. In addition to the long-distance routes, Finnair has numerous domestic destinations and routes to all parts of Europe.
Finnair was advertised as the fastest connection between Europe and Asia. However, the closure of the Russian airspace increased flight times, and consequently, Finnair suspended many of its Asian routes. The strategic destinations are slowly moving from Asia to North America.
Finnair's passion is to create a brand of a high-quality Finnish airline that is a little exotic. The airline tries to attract especially passengers connecting in Europe. That is why Finnair offers a practical stopover in Helsinki options to let passengers experience Helsinki on the way to their final destinations.
A large portion of Finnish holidaymakers board Finnair's aircraft, which take them on sunny vacations.
Fleet
Finnair has a modern long-haul fleet. The routes are flown with Airbus A330 or Airbus A350 aircraft. For short-haul destinations, Finnair uses the Airbus A320 family. Some of the shortest routes have been outsourced to Finnair's partner, Norra. This small Finnish airline operates only for Finnair by using Finnair's aircraft. Norra's routes are flown with Embraer E190 or ATR-72 turboprop painted with Finnair livery.
Finnair's Service Model
Finnair is a traditional airline, but it has gradually approached a pure low-cost business model.
Travel Classes
Finnair has three travel classes: Economy, Premium Economy and Business.
Most of the passengers travel in Economy Class. The cheapest Light ticket includes only a seat. You need to pay extra for luggage and a pre-selected seat. Water and blueberry juice are complimentary on short-haul routes, but other snacks and drinks, including coffee and tea, cost more. On long-haul routes, meals and beverages are complimentary for all passengers. A more expensive Classic ticket also includes luggage to the hold, but the onboard service level is the same as with a Light ticket. A Classic ticket also has better cancellation/change (of flight) conditions.
A Superlight ticket type includes only a small bag. The normal Light ticket allows regular cabin-sized luggage with a small item.
Premium Economy Class is available for long-haul flights. Passengers under Premium Economy Class have more spacious seats, and better meals and drinks are free. Also, Premium Economy Class has a cheaper Light ticket option without luggage allowance.
Business Class is the best travel class of Finnair. The best food and drinks are served. On short-haul flights, the adjacent seat will be free. On long-haul flights, Business Class passengers can travel on a full-flat seat with a personal light, USB sockets and a big screen.
Onboard Services
In Economy Class, Finnair serves only water and blueberry juice on European routes. In Business class, food and all drinks are complimentary.
On long-haul routes, Finnair serves meals and drinks for all passengers. Passengers in the Business and Premium Economy Classes will get better food choices, and more drinks will be available. Economy passengers get only one glass of wine or beer. More non-alcoholic drinks are available. Water and blueberry juice are always free onboard Finnair.
There is a paid Wi-Fi on Finnair's Airbus fleet. Airbus A330 and A350 fleet have also personal entertainment screens for every passenger.
Entertainment System
In A330 and A350 aircraft, both Economy and Business seats have a personal entertainment system. Our Finnair A350 experience shows that the screen is bright and moderately big. It is easy to be watched even on a bright day. The screen's touch sensitivity is good, and the system is user-friendly overall. The user interface is intuitive.
In-flight entertainment systems have a common challenge. Cabin background noise and cheap headphones make listening to music or following movies an unpleasant experience. In business class, airlines usually provide better headphones, but in economy class, the headphones are just poor.
Especially on long-distance flights, we bring our noise-cancelling headphones because they suppress the background noise. The entertainment system is a much nicer experience with better sound quality. Good headphones are also comfortable for your ears.
Finnair's Airbus fleet is equipped with onboard Wi-Fi, allowing passengers to access the Nordic Sky Portal. This portal provides complimentary newspapers and various paid Wi-Fi options, including internet access and online shopping. Business Class passengers receive one hour of complimentary internet access, while Finnair Plus members can enjoy one hour of free messaging.
Our Flights With Finnair
Since we live in Helsinki, we fly often with Finnair. We have taken both long-haul and short-haul flights. Finnair's Airbus A350, A330 and all short-haul aircraft are familiar. In addition, we have flown with Norra's Embraer and ATR aircraft.
The cabins of Finnair's aircraft are light grey-coloured and clean. With colour-changing LED lights, the cabins look fresh and comfortable. Because the long-haul aircraft are moderately new, they are still in great condition. The Airbus A320 family, which is meant for short-haul flights, is older. If you are unlucky, you may end up in quite an old aircraft, but also they have been well-maintained.
The online check-in process is smooth, and departing from Helsinki Airport is an enjoyable experience. After the luggage drop, reaching a gate takes less than 30 minutes. Long queues at Finnair's Helsinki hub are uncommon.
Rating
Friendliness of the Crew
Finnair's cabin crew and pilots are professional. Flight attendants could sometimes be friendlier by painting more smiles on their faces. There is variance in the customer service quality.
Food and drinks
On short-haul flights, Finnair serves only water and blueberry juice. Not even coffee or tea is free of charge. Meals and drinks are included on long-haul flights.
Finnair serves Nordic-style food, just like any aeroplane food. In Economy Class, the quality is moderate, but it can't beat, for example, Turkish Airlines's food. Naturally, the food is better in Business Class.
Price Level
Finnair tickets are not the cheapest, but the airline occasionally offers reasonable offers. However, the promotional prices can seldom beat the affordability of the tickets provided by low-cost airlines like Norwegian Air Shuttle.
Price-to-Quality Ratio
The overall quality of Finnair's flights is good. We would rate Finnair even better with more complimentary services and friendlier staff. Finnair has branded itself as a high-quality airline, but still, the onboard service level is the same as many true low-cost airlines can offer.
Overall Rating
We rate Finnair as a 3.5-star airline. The airline follows a low-cost model, but at the same time, it tries to become a reputable Nordic brand. There is a mismatch: passengers taking a Finnair flight can not easily say whether they are boarding a low-cost flight or an airline striving for quality.
Common Questions
- Do Finnair's tickets include free-hold luggage?
- Yes, they do, except for the Light and Superlight tickets.
- What is the weight limit for hold luggage on Finnair's flights?
- It is 23 kg.
- What is the weight limit of cabin luggage on Finnair?
- It is 10 kg.
- Does Finnair serve meals on short-haul flights?
- No. Finnair serves only a complimentary glass of water and blueberry juice in Economy Class.
- Does Finnair serve meals on long-haul flights?
- Yes, it does. Meals and one drink are included in the ticket price for Economy Class.
- What is Finnair's Business Class like?
- Business Class includes just a regular seat on short-haul flights but with better onboard service. On long-haul flights, there is also a spacious full-flat seat.
- What is Finnair's Premium Economy?
- Premium Economy is a travel class between Economy and Business on long-haul flights.
- Is coffee free on Finnair's flights?
- Unfortunately, Economy Class is not free on short-haul flights.
- Does Finnair have Wi-Fi onboard?
- Yes, it does. A complimentary messaging package is available for Finnair Plus customers.
- Is there an entertainment system on Finnair's aircraft?
- Wide-body Airbus aircraft have personal entertainment systems. Narrowbody ones have a Nordic Sky portal, which is accessible with Wi-Fi.
- What aircraft are in Finnair's fleet?
- There are Airbus A32X, A330 and A350 aircraft.
- Does Finnair have a stopover option?
- Yes, it does.
- Where to buy tickets for Finnair flights?
- We recommend comparing prices on Skycanner. It finds the prices of many booking sites.
Bottom Line
Helsinki is our home airport, and that's the reason why we often choose Finnair. We pick Finnair because its brand is better when we have two similarly priced options. The quality is stable, and the aircraft is in good condition.
Finnair is a perfect choice to fly long-haul flights if the price is competitive. On long-haul flights, the service level is close to the traditional onboard service, and the aircraft are modern. A small minus is that the Light tickets do not include hold luggage.
Have you flown with Finnair? Comment on your Finnair experiences below.
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