Finnair to launch Melbourne-Helsinki flights

[SYD]

Wow did not see this one coming! Had to check it wasn't 1st April.

Do we think this will open up any other opportunities for EU carriers to come/return to Australia?

With airfares still relatively high ex Oz, I’m surprised VS hasn’t returned. Probably missed the boat now if they’d been considering it…

 

[kpro]

News article link no longer works for me.

 

[FlyingFiona]

News article link no longer works for me.

Works fine for me.

 

[serfty]

News article link no longer works for me.

It worked for me ...

 

[serfty]

AY’s economy class is pretty basic, not even a pillow.

Very basic. One free alcoholic drink with meal.

Post in thread 'What are your air travel micro-hacks?'

Aug 28, 2025

Most of the passengers on my last overnight flight in Y seemed to be going to the bathroom in their socks. Yuck.

Simon from Flight Formula said he saw this on his recent AY Y review.

• justinbrett

• 

 

[elanshin]

With airfares still relatively high ex Oz, I’m surprised VS hasn’t returned. Probably missed the boat now if they’d been considering it…

There were hints they were considering, but who knows what their plans are now. I think they were considering LHR-PER direct like QF.

 

[am0985]

This is very interesting. Increases the value of QFF again, however also means Avios are even more important since Finnair use them too. QR, BA and now AY for airlines out of Australia.

Their award charts are here.....they'll need to update them for Australia. But if they're charging 62,500 to BKK, reasonable to hope that Australia will be around 100k?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Very basic. One free alcoholic drink with meal.

And even then, only ‘mild alcohol’ - beer or wine - according to their website.

Their menu page also says:

It is good to know that we have only one menu available onboard in Economy Class for our long-haul flights to minimise food waste.​

​

Although you can select a special meal if you have dietary requirements.

 

[Saab34]

Wow didn’t see that coming. Obviously have seen a bit of the data and are happy with what they see.

Australia to Europe is booming.

 

[Timba-Jet]

Very basic. One free alcoholic drink with meal.

Pre-covid / Russian air-space closure: when AY was dominate in the Euro-East Asia market.

HEL-BKK was designated leisure route and NO complimentary alcohol was provided. Looks like AY has standardise a basic LH economy offering on all routes. I flew HEL-BKK Dec 2019, lets just say I took advantage of the alcohol in the lounge....

Website states:
"It is good to know that we have only one menu available onboard in Economy Class for our long-haul flights to minimise food waste."
More like minimise cost, total meals loaded can still be the same while offering 2 or 3 choices, just some pax will not get their preferred choice.

 

[moa999]

With airfares still relatively high ex Oz, I’m surprised VS hasn’t returned. Probably missed the boat now if they’d been considering it…

VS haven't even returned to HKG, from where they used to fly to Australia.

Currently in Asia only fly to India (Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore, and opening to Seoul and coughet in 2026.
Almost like they are trying to avoid direct competition with BA these days.

 

[flapper]

I think Finnair will become just the second European carrier, after BA, that operates its own aircraft to Australia?

Turkish fly IST to MEL & SYD. IST is on the European side.

 

[Austman]

Turkish fly IST to MEL & SYD. IST is on the European side.

Yes - it is literally is just inside Europe. Whereas not all of Istanbul is!

Only 3% of the Republic of Türkiye is in Europe.

 

[elanshin]

Flights bookable now on Finnair. Random Nov dates showing a $967 for economy Classic RTN. $774 for Economy Light RNT. $3680 for Business Classic RTN.

Can't book MEL - HEL just yet.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Flights bookable now on Finnair. Random Nov dates showing a $967 for economy Classic RTN. $774 for Economy Light RNT. $3680 for Business Classic RTN.

Can't book MEL - HEL just yet.

I can’t get the flights to show on the AY website? Using Finland as the home country.

It’s still giving me connections via HKG, SIN, BKK on CX/JQ/QF/TG

 

[elanshin]

I can’t get the flights to show on the AY website? Using Finland as the home country.

It’s still giving me connections via HKG, SIN, BKK on CX/JQ/QF/TG

I used Australia as location. Then did a MEL - BKK - MEL search.

MEL - HEL search stilll went through partners.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I used Australia as location. Then did a MEL - BKK - MEL search.

MEL - HEL search stilll went through partners.

Oh… so just to bangkok. I thought HEL-MEL was bookable, but not MEL-HEL, given the time differences or whatever!

To BKK that’s fairly competitive then for economy. TG is wanting $1100 and QF $1300. Scoot and multi-stop LCCs want around the $550 mark. So an extra $100 each way for a meal, entertainment and a drink, plus being non-stop, might be of interest.

Jetstar basic is wanting $572.

 

[elanshin]

Oh… so just to bangkok. I thought HEL-MEL was bookable, but not MEL-HEL, given the time differences or whatever!

To BKK that’s fairly competitive then for economy. TG is wanting $1100 and QF $1300. Scoot and multi-stop LCCs want around the $550 mark. So an extra $100 each way for a meal, entertainment and a drink, plus being non-stop, might be of interest.

Jetstar basic is wanting $572.

Yeh I did a search to BKK to see if it's up and also to see if it's offering it as 5th Freedom.

 

[timster]

Google Flights showing AY MEL-BKK in business return under-cutting TG in November 2026 by about $300 ($3300 vs $3600). Hooray for competition.

 

[AIRwin]

What will be interesting to see is if this is a continuation of one of their BKK services, or an entirely new one (bringing it to 3x daily from HEL-BKK).

Looks like the new MEL flights AY145/146 are in addition to the existing BKK services AY141/142/143/144