Finnair’s 100 Memorable Firsts as It Approaches Its 100th Anniversary

As Finnair approaches its 100th anniversary, it’s time to celebrate its remarkable journey with 100 memorable firsts. Founded on November 1, 1923, Finnair has cemented its place as the sixth-oldest airline in the world still in operation. Let’s explore some of the fascinating highlights from its century-long history:

• Finnair was originally named Aero.
• The airline’s code, AY, stands for Aero Osake-yhtiö, meaning “company” in Finnish.
• Finnair is the official flag carrier of Finland.
• Finnair’s blue and white color palette is inspired by the Finnish national flag.
• During its first year of operation, Finnair carried a total of 269 passengers.
• Finnair’s first flight was to Tallinn, Estonia, in 1924, carrying 162kg of mail.
• In 1960, Finnair became the first small airline to enter the jet age.
• In 1968, Finnair carried a million passengers for the first time.
• Finnair joined the Oneworld alliance in 1998.
• Finnair became the official airline of Santa Claus in 1983.
• In 1986, Finnair was the first airline to acquire satellite telephones for its aircraft.
• In 2002, Finnair’s services to Hong Kong began.
• Finnair introduced internet connectivity to its short-haul European flights in 2018.
• Finnair aims to be a carbon-neutral airline by the end of 2045.
• Finnair’s Platinum Wing lounge at Helsinki Airport features a sauna.
• Finnair uses ambient light settings to recreate the Northern Lights in the cabin.
• Finnair serves a million liters of blueberry juice each year.
• Finnair was consistently named one of the world’s safest airlines.
• The Finnish government owns a majority stake in Finnair.
• Finnair employs around 1,700 cabin crew and 900 flight crew, all based in Finland.
• During the pandemic, Finnair sold its business-class inflight meals in Finnish grocery stores.
• Finnair is the only airline to offer fully-lie flat yet non-recline business class seats for long-haul flights.
• Two Finnair aircraft were painted in Marimekko’s bold designs.
• Finnair has a staff choir named the Finnair Singers.
• Finnair operates widebody aircraft on its short-haul European flights to London and Amsterdam.
• Finnair has scheduled flights to 89 international destinations.
• Finnair flies to 14 destinations within Finland.
• Finnair has a signature cocktail named Northern Blush.
• During the pandemic, when aircraft were grounded, Finnair launched virtual reality flights to Lapland.
• Finnair is part of the Transatlantic Joint Business with British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, American Airlines, and Level.
• Aircraft Interiors International is excited about Finnair’s centenary and will bring more news ahead of the big event.

As Finnair continues to innovate and thrive, these 100 milestones reflect its incredible journey over the past century, making it a true pioneer in the aviation industry. Happy 100th anniversary, Finnair!