Finnair unveils new €200 million look for long-haul flights
Finland’s flag carrier Finnair has launched a new long-haul look for all of its Airbus A350 and A330 aircraft with new Business Class and Premium Economy cabins.
The carrier, which connects Asia and Europe via a short northern route, unveiled the €200 million investment in Helsinki this morning.
Finnair’s Premium Economy cabin is being installed on all of its long-haul aircraft for the first time.
The airline says the new cabins will be fitted over the next two years and will also feature a refreshed Economy Class.
The new Premium Economy cabin becomes available for customers to book on 1 March 2022 and the routes on which it will be available will also be announced then.
Finnair CEO, Topi Manner, said: “Our investment to enhance the long-haul customer experience demonstrates the continuing commitment of the whole Finnair team to deliver a premium experience in every cabin on our aircraft. The pandemic has had a dramatic impact on our industry, but it has not changed our ambition to offer a modern premium experience as we continue to be the first choice for travellers connecting Europe and Asia.”
The carrier is a launch customer for a brand-new Business Class seat concept which has been developed in close collaboration with Collins Aerospace and maximises customer space and the freedom to move.
Ole Orvér, Finnair’s chief commercial officer, said: “Space is today’s luxury and we have put a lot of thought and attention to detail into creating the best Business Class seat for our customers.
“Both the seat and the whole new Business Class experience is centred around customer comfort, space, and choice and is the culmination of our design ethos which will appear throughout our long-haul aircraft to redefine modern premium travel.
“We look forward to welcoming our customers to experience the new Finnair as we roll out the cabin renewal across our long-haul fleet over the next two years.”
All cabin classes feature a stylish new entry area and a refreshment bar, creating a striking first impression, the carrier says.
Finnair’s Business Class cabin has renewed service concepts to further enhance the customer experience, with passengers being offered a choice of dishes that focus on the very best Nordic cuisine. The dishes are served on new chinaware that has been designed by top Finnish designers specifically for Finnair.
Finnish design house Marimekko has designed a set of unique textiles to complement the warm and inviting onboard atmosphere, including a duvet and pillows for Business Class, as well as a neck pillow and a woven blanket for Premium Economy.
Finnair has also invested in a refresh of its long-haul Economy Class for its A330 aircraft and three A350s. The class now has new seats and larger in-flight entertainment screens with a more customer-friendly interface.
Finnair says it plans to serve nearly 100 destinations in summer 2022 in Europe, Asia and the US. Its new long-haul destinations include Busan in South Korea, Tokyo Haneda in Japan, and Dallas and Seattle in the US.