Finnair to launch Melbourne-Helsinki flights

[Oubline]

This is so cool! I really like Finnair and more options for flying them is great. I can see business and economy award availability loaded if using Avios, but haven't seen any show up for Qantas yet.

 

[elanshin]

This is so cool! I really like Finnair and more options for flying them is great. I can see business and economy award availability loaded if using Avios, but haven't seen any show up for Qantas yet.

Avios awards wasn't showing an hour ago so I guess things are populating into the system.

 

[Saab34]

Do legacy cabin crew operate any of these Asian and now MEL flights? Or are they all Asian labour hire.

 

[aaa99]

It seems like MEL-BKK will indeed be bookable separately

Also, according to Google, we have the longest non-stop flight

 

[am0985]

77k Qatar Avios isn't great value for MEL - BKK J.

MEL - LHR QSuites is 90k, MEL - DPS on Garuda A330 J is 40k.

Can anyone search with Finnair Avios?

AFAIK the different points currencies can have different pricing, eg you can't use 90k BA Avios for QSuites, you have to convert I think.

 

[elanshin]

Do legacy cabin crew operate any of these Asian and now MEL flights? Or are they all Asian labour hire.

Im pretty certain it'll be Finnish pilots, BKK crew. Think QF wetlease.

 

[am0985]

View attachment 485801

62,500?! That is obscenely good!

You need to add on the connection flight (unless flying to Scandinavia/Baltics/Poland) but that's 20k in J or 13k in Y. It obviously would allow you a stopover too under these rules.

I can't see that it's letting me select MEL - BKK as a stand alone yet on the Finnair website. Clearly it will be better than the 77k using Qatar Avios.

 

[RealtimeY]

Apologies, those numbers are not right.

The correct Avios cost is here: Use Avios on Finnair award flights

MEL-HEL
Y 60k + 70 EUR
PE 87k + 90 EUR
J 125k + 150 EUR

So equal to the cost of two long-range redemptions.

MEL-BKK is half that
Y 30k
PE 43.5k
J 62.5k

 

[elanshin]

Ads in Melb already starting. My partner just sent me this

 

[PERLHR]

Sigh...wish this was from PER. Might consider via MEL though as a points run ....

 

[am0985]

Apologies, those numbers are not right.

The correct Avios cost is here: Use Avios on Finnair award flights

MEL-HEL
Y 60k + 70 EUR
PE 87k + 90 EUR
J 125k + 150 EUR

So equal to the cost of two long-range redemptions.

MEL-BKK is half that
Y 30k
PE 43.5k
J 62.5k

Ah, interesting though because it is appearing for me as 62,500 miles all the way to HEL too on the search.

Maybe they have messed things up a bit when loading them into the system? I wonder if you can book it and it'd be honoured or withdrawn as an error fare...sadly I don't have a pressing need to travel during that time.

125k is fairly average especially when adding on the extra leg to elsewhere in Europe. Though it effectively has a free stopover in Bangkok.

The two 62.5k legs are more competitive individually especially BKK - HEL!

 

[LionKing]

I hope Qantas will codeshare with Finnair on BKK-MEL sector, also for Finnair to codeshare with BA from BKK-LGW.
This will open up MEL-BKK-LON, and also allow Jetstar to discontinue MEL-BKK.
<redacted duplicate>

 

[am0985]

I hope Qantas will codeshare with Finnair on BKK-MEL sector, also for Finnair to codeshare with BA from BKK-LGW.
This will open up MEL-BKK-LON, and also allow Jetstar to discontinue MEL-BKK.
<redacted duplicate>.

Jetstar MEL-BKK in J is quite a nice PE flight at a reasonable price especially during the afternoon/evening!

Wouldn't do it in economy or the night flight on the way back though.

 

[elanshin]

I hope Qantas will codeshare with Finnair on BKK-MEL sector, also for Finnair to codeshare with BA from BKK-LGW.
This will open up MEL-BKK-LON, and also allow Jetstar to discontinue MEL-BKK.
<redacted duplicate>.

I don't know why you'd think JQ would discontinue BKK. Its the correct market for JQ.

 

[justinbrett]

It will be interesting to see how the codeshare authorisations stand in the coming years.

QR/BA + QR/VA vs QF/EK, it’s getting crowded.

I wonder if ACCC don’t let QR continue with BA (now they have VA), whether BA and AY could team up? Could be some synergies, time LHR-BKK to connect onto AY to MEL, AY can time HEL-SIN to connect onto BA to SYD (actually I think that they already do).

 

[AIRwin]

LHR-BKK

LGW-BKK?

 

[justinbrett]

LGW-BKK?

If BA and AY start a JV to Australia, BKK would certainly move to LHR to enable codeshare flights to MEL.

 

[levelnine]

Early punters scored an amazing deal.

No doubt this pricing error will be fixed before long.

 

[am0985]

125k points HEL - MEL isn't amazing but it would allow for a stopover in BKK given it would cost the same as splitting them up.

I'm also intrigued to see what Xmas availability is like - does anyone know if Finnair throttles availability over peak periods (like most airlines) or whether it takes more of an SQ approach to these things?

I guess we will find out in the next few weeks for Xmas 2026...

 

[Oubline]

125k points HEL - MEL isn't amazing but it would allow for a stopover in BKK given it would cost the same as splitting them up.

I'm also intrigued to see what Xmas availability is like - does anyone know if Finnair throttles availability over peak periods (like most airlines) or whether it takes more of an SQ approach to these things?

I guess we will find out in the next few weeks for Xmas 2026...

Finnair has its minimum seat guarantee that they release on Avios for flights leaving or arriving in Helsinki, if you’re booking with Avios. So I think technically as long as you’re quick enough that there should still be at least some availability year-round. Like you asked, not sure whether the number they release more than the guarantee is throttled over peak periods but it would make sense if it was.