FINNAIR MOVES TO DAILY CODE SHARE FROM AUSTRALIA

Finnair, the national carrier of Finland, will introduce daily code share services from Sydney to Helsinki from February, 2002, in conjunction with fellow oneworld alliance member Qantas.

The one-stop service, via Bangkok, will provide the fastest daily link from Australia to Northern Europe and the Nordic countries, with connection times to other European flights as short as 35 minutes after arrival at Helsinki's award-winning Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport.

"The daily code share service from Sydney is being introduced in response to demand from business travellers, who want more frequent access to Northern Europe and Nordic markets," said Finnair's Manager, Australia and New Zealand, Ms Helen Blake.

"Our bookings from Australia have increased by 25 per cent in the first half of 2001, and we are confident this will grow even more impressively once we can offer daily flights.

"Daily Qantas flights from New Zealand will also connect with our expanded code share services from Sydney."

Ms Blake said the move to daily frequency from Australia was made possible by Finnair's decision to increase Asia-Finland flights from the current four per week to seven, with the introduction from February of three weekly Hong Kong - Bangkok - Helsinki services.

The daily Australia - Finland codeshare service will be operated by Qantas from Sydney to Bangkok, where passengers will transfer to Finnair's MD11 tri-jet for the onward 10.25 hour flight to Helsinki.

Finnair flight AY 5891 will leave Sydney at 1655 daily, arriving in Bangkok at 2310 to connect with flight AY 92 or AY 98, departing at 0020 (times are based on the European summer timetable)

This service will arrive in Helsinki at 0645 the following day - less than 21 hours after leaving Sydney - in time to connect with Finnair services to 18 points in Finland, or flights to other destinations throughout Europe, using the services of Finnair and a range of quality partners.

From the perfectly-positioned Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, it takes less than one hour to fly to destinations including Stockholm, St. Petersburg, or the Baltic capitals of Tallinn or Riga.

The increase from the current three weekly Australia - Finland flights to daily service from February also coincides with the relaunch of Finnair's long-haul Business Class, which will be expanded from 28 to 42 seats on the carrier's MD-11 fleet. As part of this upgrade, Finnair will also introduce in-flight e-mail and web-browsing capability for Business Class passengers on long haul services.

And later this year, Finnair will change rules restricting the use of mobile telephones and CD players on board its aircraft, enabling passengers to use both devices until the aircraft's engines are started.

CD players can be used again after take off and mobile telephones again on arrival, immediately after the "fasten seat belts" sign is switched off. Currently, the airline prohibits the use of either device at any time aboard its aircraft.

Finnair's Business Class upgrade adds further value to its already-popular premium service, which includes 50-inch pitch Business Class seats with 13 inches recline, individual flexible reading lamps on each seat , personal telephones, PC charging facilities and on-board fax.

A 10.4 inch personal video screen - one of the largest offered by any carrier to Business Class passengers - provides 14 video channels. There are also 18 audio channels providing continuous listening pleasure - and all of the video and audio entertainment is enhanced by the use of active noise reduction headphones.

On late night flights, Finnair's Business Class customers have a choice of two appetizers and two entrees, a soup service, cappuccino/espresso special coffees or a selection of teas, and a fine dessert.

The airline's Good Morning service offers hot and cold breakfast choices, and a between-the-meals service is always available.

At Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, a special pre-flight buffet is available before the midnight departure to South-East Asia, enabling Business Class passengers to eat on the ground and rest in the air.

In addition to international and Finnish drinks on board, an Irish coffee service has now been added in Business Class.

Finnair has also won the best wine cellar in the sky award in Business Traveller magazine several times in last years.

From February, Finnair's long haul Economy Class cabin will seat only 241 passengers in 3 x 4 x 2 configuration, using new seats equipped with adjustable headrests with winglets in the mid cabin, designed to maximise the sleep period.

Economy passengers are offered a special flight programme explaining the in-flight service options. These include individual water bottles and movie snacks from the aircraft's rear galley.

Finnair operates a fleet of 58 aircraft to 50 international destinations and 18 Finnish domestic ports. From February, when Hong Kong is added to its global network, Finnair will offer 13 weekly services between Asia and Helsinki, with flights from Singapore via Bangkok (4), Hong Kong via Bangkok (3), Tokyo (2) and Beijing (4 ).

Finnair also operates daily flights from New York to Helsinki - accessible to Australian passengers flying with oneworld carriers Qantas or American Airlines.

In Australia and New Zealand, Finnair is represented by World Aviation Systems with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Auckland.