Shanghai-based Juneyao Airlines will launch its first non-stop service between Shanghai and Helsinki from June 28.

The daily flight bound for Helsinki is scheduled to depart Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 0055, before arriving in Helsinki at 0620. The return leg leaves Helsinki Airport at 1420, and lands back in Shanghai at 0420 the next day.

Flight No. From To Departs Arrives Day
HO1607/AY3152 Shanghai Pudong T2 (PVG) Helsinki (HEL) 0055 0620 Daily
HO1608/AY3151 Helsinki (HEL) Shanghai Pudong T2 (PVG) 1420 0420 +1

The carrier will fly its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on the route. As previously reported by Business Traveller Asia-Pacific, the 324-seater aircraft has 29 business class seats laid out in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration, allowing all passengers direct access to the aisle, as well as 295 economy class seats in a 3-3-3 layout.

Meanwhile, Juneyao Airlines and Finnair have agreed a new codeshare cooperation on this new Shanghai Pudong-Helsinki route, as well as on selected routes in China and Finland operated by the two airlines.

With this new codeshare partnership, also set to begin on June 28, Finnair’s AY code will be added to Juneyao Airlines’ flights between Shanghai and eight cities in China, including Harbin, Shenyang, Dalian, Qingdao, Xi’an, Chongqing, Kunming, Xiamen and Fuzhou. However, its own direct flights to Xi’an and Chongqing don’t seem to be included in this codeshare agreement.

Finnair currently flies non-stop to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Chongqing and Xi’an. Recently, the carrier also formed a codeshare agreement with China Southern Airlines, with another four new destinations added to its network in China, including Changsha, Hangzhou, Wenzhou and Sanya.

According to Christian Lesjak, senior vice president of network and resource management at Finnair, the Finnish carrier will operate up to 42 weekly flights between Greater China and Helsinki during summer 2019, including daily flights to Shanghai.

At the same time, passengers travelling with Juneyao Airlines will be able to connect with Finnair flights from Helsinki to another five domestic cities in Finland; namely Ivalo, Rovaniemi, Kemi, Kuopio and Oulu.

The codeshare partnership will allow passengers to book flights operated with different airlines under a single booking. Passengers’ checked luggage will be delivered all the way to their destination, without the need to collect it at stopover destinations. Passengers also do not need to get new boarding passes for their connecting flights.

In fact, Juneyao Airlines has also been trying to expand its network in Europe, with its recent applications for two new routes from Shanghai Pudong to Manchester and Athens. Both proposed routes are planned to fly three times weekly starting in March 2020.

The B787-9 Dreamliner is Juneyao Airlines’ first wide-body aircraft. The Shanghai-based carrier has four B787-9s, with another six to be delivered in the future.

juneyaoair.com