Finnair cancels flights to North Asia due to Russian airspace issues

[Mattg]

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/transport/finnair-faces-wipeout-of-asia-business-on-russia-flight-bans

I see that Finnair has cancelled all flights to NRT, KIX, ICN, CAN, PVG, SVO and LED for at least the next week in anticipation of airspace closures.

Finnair's flights to SIN, BKK, HKT and DEL will continue but will re-route to avoid using affected airspace, increasing flight times by around an hour.

News | Finnair

company.finnair.com

This advertisement has not aged well...

 

[toomuchtravel]

My flight with FINNAIR for tomorrow was cancelled overnight. The Japan-Helsinki-MIlan routes all cancelled as European/UK airlines are banning Russian flights so it's tit-for-tat. Apart from the tragedy unfolding, the economic impact for airlines and tourism just as covid restrictions have eased will be devastating. Hoping to get a flight through Dubai/Doha - might miss the extra status points and will cost more but am packed and ready to fly.

Post automatically merged: Feb 28, 2022

They'd be finnished... well not really. AY only really flies to NRT, KIX and ICN at the moment and they're mostly not daily.

Just posted a comment about this - yes, economic impact will be drastic

 

[jrfsp]

My flight with FINNAIR for tomorrow was cancelled overnight. The Japan-Helsinki-MIlan routes all cancelled as European/UK airlines are banning Russian flights so it's tit-for-tat. Apart from the tragedy unfolding, the economic impact for airlines and tourism just as covid restrictions have eased will be devastating. Hoping to get a flight through Dubai/Doha - might miss the extra status points and will cost more but am packed and ready to fly.

Post automatically merged: Feb 28, 2022

Just posted a comment about this - yes, economic impact will be drastic

Thanks for the update.
Were you rebooked by the airline?

 

[jrfsp]

Changes in Finnair flights to Asia and Russia

www.finnair.com

While my flight isnt till June, worried that the russian airspace situation could drag on. I wonder what rebooking options would be offered.

 

[aaa99]

I am supposed to be on SIN-HEL in early April. Currently, it looks like SIN-HEL isnt affected apart from the extra travel time. Whether it is worth travelling to Europe in the middle of the conflict is something I am still not sure about. I guess I still have a few weeks to decide.

 

[Seat0B]

My flight with FINNAIR for tomorrow was cancelled overnight. The Japan-Helsinki-MIlan routes all cancelled as European/UK airlines are banning Russian flights so it's tit-for-tat. Apart from the tragedy unfolding, the economic impact for airlines and tourism just as covid restrictions have eased will be devastating. Hoping to get a flight through Dubai/Doha - might miss the extra status points and will cost more but am packed and ready to fly.

Post automatically merged: Feb 28, 2022

Just posted a comment about this - yes, economic impact will be drastic

welcome to posting @toomuchtravel. Hope you got to fly.

 

[jrfsp]

Just for those with upcoming AY Asia flight (im one of them)

"Due to the closure of Russian airspace, we are evaluating alternative routings for some of our flights to Japan, Korea and China. So far, we have cancelled flights to these destinations until 6 March 2022, and cancelled all flights to Russia until 28 May 2022.

We will communicate on further cancellations of our flights to Japan, China and Korea starting from the end of this week, once the routing plans have been finalised. "

Changes in Finnair flights to Asia and Russia

www.finnair.com

 

[kelvedon]

At least they can still fly to Singapore, skirting round Russia and Ukraine.

 

[dajop]

View attachment 272580
At least they can still fly to Singapore, skirting round Russia and Ukraine.

Indeed. Looks like it is adding 18% to the distance and taking a 11 hour journey into a 13 hour journey. The flight path SIN-HEL is now about the same distance as SIN-LHR.

 

[AFF Editor]

Not sure if there is a better place to discuss the AY updates?

I've moved posts about the Finnair cancellations to this new thread.

 

[jrfsp]

AY has cancelled AU to Europe via Japan until end of May - only via BKK and SIN being offered.

Im booked to fly in June via Tokyo on an award booking (AA). I cant find any other award seats (AA or QF) for my specific dates. Until it gets cancelled i don't think i can do much?

If a partner airline cancels an award booking I'm worried ill only be offered a refund, not rerouting, if there are no other rewards seats left?

 

[Danger]

Finnair facing long-haul crisis as its Asia network faces closure

Finnair's entire long-haul strategy is now at risk due to the closure of Russian airspace, which will impact its huge network of flights across Asia.

www.headforpoints.com

 

[SCM]

Finnair stock is down 35% since a few weeks ago, I doubt they will survive as an airline unless the EU can get along with Russia, since being a transit airline is most of their business. Airbaltic is also in a difficult predicament.

 

[Mattg]

Finnair stock is down 35% since a few weeks ago, I doubt they will survive as an airline unless the EU can get along with Russia, since being a transit airline is most of their business. Airbaltic is also in a difficult predicament.

Finnair will perhaps have to reinvent its business model in the near term.

Luckily (or otherwise), it's already had some practice with this given much of Asia was closed for the past two years anyway. E.g. it has already set up a second long-haul base in Stockholm which is flying routes to the US and Thailand (which are able to continue).

 

[aaa99]

Just a question. Since AY's market involves feeding travellers from Asia to places in Europe through their hub and the SIN and BKK routes are transversing down Europe before going east into Asia, could they perhaps add 5th freedom flights like SIN-FCO-HEL or similar (like a secondary hub in one of the southern European cities)? I dont understand the regulatory requirements for operating routes like that but clearly some airlines are doing this already within Europe.

 

[jrfsp]

As of 9 March 2022, we fly to Tokyo Narita four times a week out of Helsinki, avoiding the Russian airspace. The flight time is approximately 13 hours and the flights connect smoothly to our European network. You can check the schedules through the booking engine on our website or in Finnair App.

Changes in Finnair flights to Asia and Russia

www.finnair.com

 

[dajop]

As of 9 March 2022, we fly to Tokyo Narita four times a week out of Helsinki, avoiding the Russian airspace. The flight time is approximately 13 hours and the flights connect smoothly to our European network. You can check the schedules through the booking engine on our website or in Finnair App.

Changes in Finnair flights to Asia and Russia

www.finnair.com

Wonder what flightpath they will use, or if they will use different flightpaths for HEL-NRT and NRT-HEL. Both of these seem to be about 7100-7200 miles, which fits with 13hrs (if heading east).

or

 

[justinbrett]

I wonder, thinking out of the box, if they could move their long haul ops to ANC instead of HEL.

Plenty of capacity in the terminal to do so.

 

[jrfsp]

I wonder, thinking out of the box, if they could move their long haul ops to ANC instead of HEL.

Plenty of capacity in the terminal to do so.

Interesting idea - Thailand and Singapore however would be better taking the southerly route through the ME.

China and HK are not open for visitors so wouldnt be worth even running flights. Even Japan hasnt set a date for reopening to tourists?

If they had good loads it might be worthwhile but alot of flights had poor loads prior to all this.

 

[jfl]

Glad they've rerouted. I'm flying HND-HEL-CPH in August and was almost going to rebook via BKK... lucky Qantas' hold time is atrocious and I didn't get to.