[AMcWhirter]

As readers will know Finnair is facing a real problem with its Asian routes.

The Russian overflying ban has meant Finnair must take longer routings which incur higher fuel and operating costs.

We have already reported on the economies Finnair has been forced to make.

Now comes news that Finnair will axe its Helsinki-Mumbai service effective July 29 which is barely a year since it was restarted – see link below.

With the growth of non-stop flights between Europe and Mumbai, plus the indirect services by Gulf carriers, Finnair must have faced a challenge in getting people to take longer routings via Helsinki.

I mean the flight time Helsinki-Mumbai-Helsinki is around nine hours (in either direction) and then travellers must add many more hours for flights to Helsinki plus the transit time.

From London, for example, Finnair’s overall travel time to Mumbai via Helsinki is shown as 14 hours and 25 mins.

Finnair to return to Mumbai after 13-year gap

1 user thanked author for this post.

Abidjan

[Auto Alpha]

Quite surprised actually….

Officials from AY had also visited BLR to conduct market feasibility research and were/are planning to launch flights to BLR.

I guess those plans are shelved as well.

[Rferguson2]

I am guessing that Finnair wet leasing their A330’s to QANTAS to operate Australia – Asia sectors has offered Finnair more guaranteed profit in return for their resources than riding the supply and demand waves of certain routes it is operating.

We saw similar last year when not long after starting routes to the US from numerous Scandinavian cities, these were abruptly canned when Finnair struck a deal with QATAR to feed their services at DOH and switched the supply from the Scandinavia – US destinations to Scandinavia – Doha.

One thing to be said for Finnair, they are quick and nimble to respond to challenges and seize opportunities.

4 users thanked author for this post.

Abidjan, AMcWhirter, Ekond222, Auto Alpha

[AMcWhirter]

[quote quote=1368444]One thing to be said for Finnair, they are quick and nimble to respond to challenges and seize opportunities.[/quote]

Indeed. As I noted in a recent sixth-freedom piece for the magazine Finnair is a sixth-freedom airline.

The latter can only prosper provided they are nimble, creative and constantly seek out new market opportunities.

Since Finnair gained the right to overfly Russia, Mongolia and China in 1988 it has capitalised on this advantage.

However the Russian ban has been a setback for its Asian long-haul network.

[Inquisitive]

I mean the flight time Helsinki-Mumbai-Helsinki is around nine hours (in either direction) and then travellers must add many more hours for flights to Helsinki plus the transit time.

I think the above statement in the OP is the key reason. The main attraction of Finnair is about only about one and half hour extra from Asian cities to London due to fast transfer and less hassle due to smallish airport (plus slightly cheaper fare). If that advantage is gone, then there are other alternatives.

At one point I used to travel Asia to London a lot and sometimes in BA. I noticed Finnair also used as a kind of backup to BA, like if BA is full, Finnair was the alternate; once or twice it happened to me and I didn’t mind due to minor inconvenience. However if the time taken is much more, I would not have agreed.

I only hope that Russia-Ukraine war ends soon and world goes back to normal peace mode.

3 users thanked author for this post.

fqtvgla, Auto Alpha, MartynSinclair

[rashman]

There arw many indians in the west Midlands. It could make lots of sense to launch flights to India from bhx via Helsinki. Air India only flies to Delhi and Indian traffic is growing massively

[MarkivJ]

[postquote quote=1368382]

That is so interesting, I didn’t know that!

I did always feel that oneworld needed another EU member to come to BLR and IB was out of question as they don’t even fly to India yet – so wouldn’t make BLR their 1st destination.

On the other hand, given AY’s extremely limited NA network (as a good chunk of EU carriers are headed to the USA) and also somewhat limited EU network compared to BA, AF, LH and KL (other EU biggies that serve BLR), it might have been challenging to make it work. I doubt the BLR <> Finland/ Scandinavian P2P traffic is enough to justify non stop flights?

1 user thanked author for this post.

AMcWhirter

[MarkivJ]

That should read –
as a good chunk of Indian passengers on these flights are headed to the USA)

[MarkivJ]

[postquote quote=1368487]

My guess is that EK and QR have that bhx market nicely wrapped up. Doubt an EU carrier can go head to head w them for their price and service offerings.

[Auto Alpha]

[quote quote=1368545]On the other hand, given AY’s extremely limited NA network (as a good chunk of EU carriers are headed to the USA) and also somewhat limited EU network compared to BA, AF, LH and KL (other EU biggies that serve BLR), it might have been challenging to make it work. I doubt the BLR <> Finland/ Scandinavian P2P traffic is enough to justify non stop flights?[/quote]

18,000 passengers bi-directionally between BLR and Scandinavian markets in 2019.

But as you said, SFO is a key airport missing in AY’s NA network that would really get the most number of connections from BLR. They should look at restarting SFO flights and then start BLR.

[Author]

Posts