Finnair has launched its highly anticipated, new and spacious, long-haul Business Class and Premium Economy cabin as part of a major investment to enhance the customer experience. The Finnish flag carrier, known for connecting Asia and Europe via the short northern route, unveiled the 200-million-euro investment at a press conference in Helsinki.
The complete cabin renewal covers all Finnair Airbus A350 and A330 long-haul aircraft, with new cabins to be fitted over the next two years, featuring an entirely new Business Class, a brand-new Premium Economy cabin, and a refreshed Economy Class. The full experience, complete with renewed service concepts, will be available in spring 2022 on selected routes across Finnair’s long-haul network. The routes will be announced at the sales start on March 1, 2022.
Topi Manner, Finnair CEO, 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 travelers connecting Europe and Asia.”
Finnair is the launch customer for a brand-new concept in Business Class seats, developed in close collaboration with Collins Aerospace, maximizing customer space and the freedom to move. The unique fixed shell lounge space enables a wide variety of sitting and sleeping positions, allowing customers to make the space their own during a relaxing long-haul flight.
Ole Orvér, Finnair 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 Business Class experience is centered 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.
Finnair’s Nordic design language and the warm, dark, comforting color scheme throughout the Business Class and Premium Economy follow the palette and design of Finnair’s renewed non-Schengen lounges, unveiled at Helsinki Airport in 2019.
The main entrance for all cabin classes has a stylish new entry area and a refreshment bar, creating a striking impression for customers and new service opportunities for cabin crew. The Business Class cabin renewal also comes complete with renewed service concepts to further enhance the customer experience. Customers will be enjoying a choice of dishes served on new chinaware designed by top Finnish designer Harri Koskinen and Iittala specifically for Finnair.
Finnish design house Marimekko has designed a new collection of unique textiles to complement the warm and inviting onboard atmosphere to create a premium customer comfort experience. These include a duvet and pillows for the Business class, as well as a neck pillow and a woven blanket for Premium Economy. Finnair’s new Premium Economy cabin is being installed in all its long-haul aircraft for the first time, offering the airline’s long-haul customers a comfortable and stylish new cabin choice.
“Premium leisure is a trend that has been significantly accelerated during the pandemic, so we are confident our new Premium Economy travel class with its comfortable seats and more space will prove very popular with customers looking for an upgraded experience from Economy”, said Ole Orvér.
Finnair has also invested in a refresh of its long-haul Economy Class, with new seats and larger Inflight Entertainment (IFE) screens with an updated user interface for its A330 aircraft and three A350s. Sixteen of Finnair’s A350 aircraft will see their Economy cabins receive new seat covers and an updated IFE user experience to bring them in line with the designs of the new Business and Premium Economy cabins. Long-haul flights are key to Finnair’s strategy, with the Finnish carrier specializing in connecting Europe and Asia via the short, fuel-efficient northern route, as well as offering excellent connections to the US.
In summer 2022, Finnair plans to serve nearly 100 destinations in Europe, Asia and the US including new long-haul routes to Busan, in South Korea, Tokyo Haneda in Japan as well as Dallas and Seattle in the USA.
