Finnair - recommended?

[jasonja3]

Does anyoine have an opinion or experience on Finnair? Safe/Unsafe?

I be be doing a number of runs between BKK, HKG & SIN and their business seats are quite cheap.......good for SC.

Thanks

JJ

 

[Guest]

santa has never crashed so finnair must be good

google finnair crash if you want to know how unsafe they are

 

[N860CR]

I looked at Finnair for the same legs but ended up going with SwissAir (although neither offer very good service on the Asian sectors, i've heard). I'm fairly sure LX can get you QF points, just as AY can. Last check AY was operating old MD-something's where as LX has new A340's (that said, they're both large established airlines - safety shouldn't be a concern)

 

[BlacKnox]

Do a search of AFF and FT and you'll find some information. Also some brief comments were recently posted by gaia on the Value Status Runs thread, including:

Presently sitting in CX HKG first class lounge having just arrived on AY91 from BKK.

Sat in row 1 which has plenty of space.

Great service and selection of wines.

Seat similar to Skybed. Advertised as lie flat in the plane's inflight brochures but even the photo clearly shows it on a slope.

Doing the BKK-SIN run tomorrow.

Never flown them personally.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

I looked at Finnair for the same legs but ended up going with SwissAir (although neither offer very good service on the Asian sectors, i've heard). I'm fairly sure LX can get you QF points, just as AY can. Last check AY was operating old MD-something's where as LX has new A340's (that said, they're both large established airlines - safety shouldn't be a concern)

But no status credits on LX.

 

[N860CR]

Ah thanks, I knew there was something

 

[NM]

I have used AY for several European flights and find them to be very much on a par with BA for those services. Nice A320 series aircraft, reasonable food and service in the back cabin, good food and service up front.

I have no used them long-haul, but would not hesitate to fly them long-haul if I was to be on one of the upgraded aircraft with their new lie-flat J seats. I have no safety concerns with AY.

 

[Zanzara]

Finnair are good. Flew them in August to London from SIN. Flight stopped for about an hour in BKK. They currently use MD11 aircraft on long-haul flights. Whilst the aircraft are a bit old, they are in the process of installing lie-flat beds in business class. Not all aircraft have been fitted out yet though. AY reckon that their long-haul fleet will be reconfigured by April.

Cabin crew are a mix, some Finns and some Asians. Food was pretty average. As mentioned, they are also cheap.

As for Swiss, you better be quick:

From 31 March 2006, Swiss International Airlines will leave the Frequent Flyer program and you will no longer earn points with them after this date. You may book available Award flights* on Swiss before 1 April 2006, however your tickets must be issued by 30 April 2006. Award tickets already issued for travel on Swiss remain valid.

AY are good. In my humble opinion, judging from only my experience of course & whilst they don't operate in the east, the best One Word airline by far has to be Lan Chile.

 

[jasonja3]

Thank you all, I guess the biggest downside of Finnair appears to be their limited timetable between these ports.

JJ

 

[JohnK]

Personally my experience with Finnair has been very good. I have flown 3 times SIN-BKK-SIN on discount economy at a very competitive price. I was even upgraded to business class one time on the BKK-SIN sector.

Although the MD-11 might be an older aircraft I think their service and friendliness is better than BA. Food is OK, but I don't purchase an airline ticket for food.

I will be flying discount economy SIN-BKK-SIN again on Finnair in April. I will be doing 2 business class flights (on a D business flex fare) BKK-HKG-BKK and possibly a BKK-SIN-BKK flight also while I am in Thailand.

BKK-SIN-BKK 4 times/week and BKK-HKG-BKK 3 times/week on alternate days is an adequate timetable.

 

[NM]

And its always fun to be able to tell people you are going to HEL after being in SIN for a while.

 

[gaia]

Flew BKK-HKG-BKK & BKK-SIN-BKK in D this week. Same price as Y on CX. Great service and excellent red wine...both the French and the Spanish.

Less than $900 for 240 SCs.

 

[Mal]

Yeah Finnair are a fairly good airline. Have only flown them BKK-SIN.

I didn't love their staff, or the plane, but it was a good flight and the food was nice.

Will be doing one of the "Value" runs in March, so will get either 2 or 4 more flights to try them out again.

 

[paul4471]

Don't do it in Y

I was unlucky enough to fly the HKG-BKK-HEL route last year in Y.
The MD-10's? are old, coughpy seats and even more coughpy entertainment for a long haul flight, inflight service was marginal and food was abyssmal. Haven't tried business so can't comment (obviously those above found it ok) but I would choose as a last resort for a Y long haul, except of course that AA earning is much better in disc Y than the CX/BA options to Europe out of Asia HKG.NRT etc).
By the way QF award availability in Y on AY on the Asia-Europe legs is diabolical even when I tried exactly 365 & 355 & 330 days out.
Sorry to get a bit OT.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

LX is also discontinuing the BKK-SIN-BKK legs. Its a shame as the late departure times provided back-up if missconnect on SQ.

Seems SK is also discontinuing BKK-SIN-BKK legs.


Makes sense - it always struck me as unnatural the number of airlines flying afternoon/evening flights between BKK & SIN. Yes I realise many are tag legs and driven by need for schedule in Europe, but by all accounts loads were pretty abysmal. I hope it doesnt mean the end of cheap *A and OW status runs.

 

[ozmerish]

Flown AY in WHY PEK-HEL a while back - not the highlight of my flying career - but that was due to other pax and nothing to do with AY crew.

Friends just flew last month in the back of the bus (MD11) over the holidays and had a good experience. And yes d00t - Santa was painted on the side too

I enjoy flying AY (probably 6 sectors on them last year), but that is mostly intra european in J (although done a few sectors in WHY)

Always have found crew effecient and enjoyable to chat with, but not intrusive if you want to be left alone. Meal in J has always been good, WHY has been hit and miss. IFE for me is usually sleep or work

Looking forward to trying the refitted J cabin before too long.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

I didnt mean to edit my earlier post

 

[DPG]

I didnt mean to edit my earlier post

Now you are bumping up your post count!



D P G

 

[JohnK]

Finnair use the Skyview lounge in SIN! Anyone used this lounge before? It looks like the lounge is only 6 months old CIAS and Cathay lounge

SINGAPORE / CHANGI INTERNATIONAL
Skyview Lounge
P, G, S, FC, BC
Terminal 1, airsied, mezzanine level, close to gate D30.
Invitation card required for admittance. Cards available at check-in.

I am travelling BKK-SIN-BKK same day so would check-in through the transit desk be sufficient to gain lounge access or do I need to go through immigration and check-in for the flight this way?

 

[Mal]

Finnair use the Skyview lounge in SIN! Anyone used this lounge before? It looks like the lounge is only 6 months old CIAS and Cathay lounge

Yeah, I have. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. Search here as it has been discussed before on a SIN topic. Personally I prefer the QF lounge, but others have their own opinions.

The best thing is that you get to look at the tarmac and plane spot. The drinks selection is about the same as elsewhere and there is food.

I am travelling BKK-SIN-BKK same day so would check-in through the transit desk be sufficient to gain lounge access or do I need to go through immigration and check-in for the flight this way?

You should be able to just go to the Transit desk and grab your next ticket. You will probably get the invitation there. That should get you entry. IF you have any problems getting in, then just head back to the transit desk and discuss it with them.

Why not go through immigration and walk outside? It's another stamp in your passport from a friendly country, and I doubt they would even care about a <2/3 hr turnaround.