Finnair cancels more flights as passenger frustration grows

By admin On Jun 10, 2025

Passengers with their luggage at Helsinki Airport on 4 June 2025. The air traffic strike organised by the Aviation Union is affecting flights on Wednesday. Photo: Emmi Korhonen / Lehtikuva

Finnair has cancelled six additional flights on Wednesday as labour disputes continue to disrupt operations and strain customer relations. The cancellations affect around 200 passengers and are part of a months-long standoff between the airline’s employer group Palta and the Finnish Aviation Union (IAU).

The dispute centres on collective bargaining for ground staff, including baggage handlers and maintenance workers, and has led to rolling four-hour work stoppages throughout the spring. Talks between the union and Palta began in January and have since stalled, primarily over wage demands.

Efforts by the National Conciliator’s Office to mediate collapsed again on Monday, clearing the way for the latest strike to go ahead. The IAU has also announced further walkouts on 17 and 19 June if no deal is reached.

Finnair has cancelled hundreds of flights this spring, affecting more than 200,000 passengers and creating severe delays in compensation processing. According to Jonna Vermilä-Alajääski, Head of Disruptions at Finnair, customer contacts have surged to levels the airline has never seen before. “The volume this spring is about seven times higher than usual,” she said.

While Finnair uses automated tools to process simpler claims within a few days, more complex cases are taking far longer. In some situations, compensation claims have taken 30 to 40 days to resolve.

“We do not consider such long processing times to be reasonable under any circumstances. These are really exceptional and really unfortunate,” Vermilä-Alajääski said.

Passengers are legally entitled to compensation in cases where cancellations result from industrial action and the airline is deemed liable. Compensation ranges between €250 and €600, depending on flight distance and delay length. Finnair also offers customers gift cards valued at 50% more than the original ticket price, which can be processed faster. Customers have one year to accept either the gift card or a cash refund.

In most cases, passengers opt for a rebooked flight. In these instances, the airline is obliged to provide food, beverages, and accommodation when necessary. However, many customers have had to cover these costs themselves and later request reimbursement.

The delays have also drawn attention from Finland’s Consumer Advisory Services, which received 600 complaints about Finnair in all of last year. This year, 400 complaints have already been filed, 100 of them in May alone.

Annina Huolman, Head of the Consumer Ombudsman’s Enforcement Unit, described the complaint figures as “just the tip of the iceberg.” She said many consumers lack clear guidance on what to do when flights are cancelled and called on Finnair to improve its communication.

The Consumer Ombudsman has published updated information on its website to help passengers navigate claims and compensation requests. Huolman noted that most complaints stem from lengthy delays in handling cases, leaving many passengers uncertain about their rights or stuck waiting for answers.

Although the Consumer Advisory Service offers mediation, it cannot compel Finnair to take action. If a claim remains unresolved, customers must bring their case to Finland’s Consumer Disputes Board.

Finnair remains the primary provider of air travel in and out of Helsinki and is under contract to operate local commuter routes until 2031. Despite the disruptions, it has yet to reach an agreement with ground staff unions. The airline has urged customers to check their flight status before travelling and to retain receipts for any additional expenses.

Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi