hotel at Finnair's expense?

[itchy feet]

Has anyone experienced a Helsinki hotel stay provided by Finnair due to flight schedule changes? Where did you stay?
My ticket is Business Classic (don't know the code) from BKK to BLQ. 1 hr afternoon stopover in HEL has become 17 hours because the airline just cancelled my onward flight. New departure is 0700 the next day. Finnair have said they "...will provide ... the voucher and arrange transportation to the hotel. ... unfortunately am not able to provide ... the name of the hotel now as this will be managed by my colleagues of operations at Helsinki airport arrival services ...
For my return flight via HEL, I'd already planned a stopover. Guess I may be seeing more of Helsinki than I expected.

 

[Telemachus]

Has anyone experienced a Helsinki hotel stay provided by Finnair due to flight schedule changes? Where did you stay?
My ticket is Business Classic (don't know the code) from BKK to BLQ. 1 hr afternoon stopover in HEL has become 17 hours because the airline just cancelled my onward flight. New departure is 0700 the next day. Finnair have said they "...will provide ... the voucher and arrange transportation to the hotel. ... unfortunately am not able to provide ... the name of the hotel now as this will be managed by my colleagues of operations at Helsinki airport arrival services ...
For my return flight via HEL, I'd already planned a stopover. Guess I may be seeing more of Helsinki than I expected.

No personal experience of that specific scenario but I have a couple of pointers you may find helpful.

First, it’s encouraging (obviously) that AY has accepted responsibility in writing for accommodating and transporting you. Second, you’re fortunate to be arriving at HEL in the afternoon when there will be AY staff around both airside and landside. I have been through HEL a number of times late at night and found all desks (at least airside) closed.

Cannot immediately find the thread(s) but I recall relevant anecdotes on FlyerTalk (where there is an active Finnair forum) of pax in your situation arriving at HEL and finding no-one from AY knew anything about hotel or voucher and no help was provided. So maybe you should have a Plan B in the form of your own choice of hotel(s) to try for on arrival – and seek reimbursement from AY subsequently.

Helsinki is an interesting stopover as you clearly appreciate by having scheduled one for your return journey. Given departure time of your new onward flight to BLQ it is to be hoped AY will put you up in one of the hotels close to the airport: there are three (?) within walking distance of Arrivals. Or you may prefer an unplanned evening in the city followed by an early start to make your flight. Hope it works out for you: do please report back.

 

[Hvr]

My ticket is Business Classic (don't know the code) from BKK to BLQ. 1 hr afternoon stopover in HEL has become 17 hours because the airline just cancelled my onward flight.

I also had this issue with a QF Classic reward ticket travelling on AY in October (BCN-HND). I was able to cancel without penalty because of the time changes and booked another flight last week.

Hope it works out for you and will be interested to hear the outcome.

 

[itchy feet]

No personal experience of that specific scenario but I have a couple of pointers you may find helpful.

First, it’s encouraging (obviously) that AY has accepted responsibility in writing for accommodating and transporting you. Second, you’re fortunate to be arriving at HEL in the afternoon when there will be AY staff around both airside and landside. I have been through HEL a number of times late at night and found all desks (at least airside) closed.

Cannot immediately find the thread(s) but I recall relevant anecdotes on FlyerTalk (where there is an active Finnair forum) of pax in your situation arriving at HEL and finding no-one from AY knew anything about hotel or voucher and no help was provided. So maybe you should have a Plan B in the form of your own choice of hotel(s) to try for on arrival – and seek reimbursement from AY subsequently.

Helsinki is an interesting stopover as you clearly appreciate by having scheduled one for your return journey. Given departure time of your new onward flight to BLQ it is to be hoped AY will put you up in one of the hotels close to the airport: there are three (?) within walking distance of Arrivals. Or you may prefer an unplanned evening in the city followed by an early start to make your flight. Hope it works out for you: do please report back.

Update. Upon arrival, find the Service Desk. Next step was to find a staff member. Waited my turn amongst poor travellers whose luggage had not arrived with them
Finnair staff member read the documentation provided, asked me several times “You accepted the schedule change?” to which I replied “Only after Finnair agreed to provide accommodation”. More typing, more waiting … An hour after disembarkation I leave the terminal with a voucher and directions to the shuttle bus. Hotel was offsite. 2 hrs after disembarkation I’m in a basic hotel room in what looks like a business park. Would have to return to airport to get a train to the city. Too tired and have to be back on the shuttle bus in less than 12 hours. Meal voucher also provided, at hotel next door. Very grateful for a plain but tasty dinner, have a shower and lay my head at no cost to me.

 

[Lost Redditor]

Update. Upon arrival, find the Service Desk. Next step was to find a staff member. Waited my turn amongst poor travellers whose luggage had not arrived with them
Finnair staff member read the documentation provided, asked me several times “You accepted the schedule change?” to which I replied “Only after Finnair agreed to provide accommodation”. More typing, more waiting … An hour after disembarkation I leave the terminal with a voucher and directions to the shuttle bus. Hotel was offsite. 2 hrs after disembarkation I’m in a basic hotel room in what looks like a business park. Would have to return to airport to get a train to the city. Too tired and have to be back on the shuttle bus in less than 12 hours. Meal voucher also provided, at hotel next door. Very grateful for a plain but tasty dinner, have a shower and lay my head at no cost to me.

Was there an option of cash instead if you wanted to stay at a hotel of your choosing?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

This would be covered under EU261. Flight cancellation more than two weeks out don’t get €€ compensation, but you do get assistance, which is hotel and food. Unless the airline reroutes you earlier.

 

[itchy feet]

Was there an option of cash instead if you wanted to stay at a hotel of your choosing?

I didn’t ask.

 

[tdimdad]

Update. Upon arrival, find the Service Desk. Next step was to find a staff member. Waited my turn amongst poor travellers whose luggage had not arrived with them
Finnair staff member read the documentation provided, asked me several times “You accepted the schedule change?” to which I replied “Only after Finnair agreed to provide accommodation”. More typing, more waiting … An hour after disembarkation I leave the terminal with a voucher and directions to the shuttle bus. Hotel was offsite. 2 hrs after disembarkation I’m in a basic hotel room in what looks like a business park. Would have to return to airport to get a train to the city. Too tired and have to be back on the shuttle bus in less than 12 hours. Meal voucher also provided, at hotel next door. Very grateful for a plain but tasty dinner, have a shower and lay my head at no cost to me.

Scandic Aviapolis? There are three hotels about 2 km from the airport (1 Holiday Inn and 2 Scandic Hotels). I use them nearly every time I have a late arrival or early departure. That Aviapolis is OK for a sleep and they do have a good breakfast buffet.

Technically, you could walk to the nearest train station but usually people (me included) take the free shuttle back to the terminal and catch the train from there.

 

[Quickstatus]

Mstr QS got a €400 voucher for hotel and expenses because his FRA-HND on NH got cancelled due to a maintenance issue. He was travelling Y

I'll put in a separate EU261 claim

 

[itchy feet]

Scandic Aviapolis? There are three hotels about 2 km from the airport (1 Holiday Inn and 2 Scandic Hotels). I use them nearly every time I have a late arrival or early departure. That Aviapolis is OK for a sleep and they do have a good breakfast buffet.

Technically, you could walk to the nearest train station but usually people (me included) take the free shuttle back to the terminal and catch the train from there.

Yes, Aviapolis. Decided not to go for a walk as it began raining. Strangely, their restaurant is closed in the summer. Dining was next door at the other Scandic.

 

[tdimdad]

Yes, Aviapolis. Decided not to go for a walk as it began raining. Strangely, their restaurant is closed in the summer. Dining was next door at the other Scandic.

As you suspected, Aviapolis is more of a transient business traveller hotel, clearly meant as a crash pad for short stays. It's always been the poor cousin among those three hotels (and especially compared to the Scandic & Hilton at the airport). The Scandic next door, Aviacongress, is a nicer one and a little better appointed.

If you were there after the midsummer weekend (24/6 this year), most of the country is on holidays, similar to early January in Australia. Many services get reduced and from that angle, it makes sense that the two hotels in the same chain consolidated their offerings.