Self-service check-in machines at Helsinki Airport on 16 January 2024. Finnair on Monday revealed that it will have to cancel the vast majority of its flights on 1–2 February due to a political strike. (Emmi Korhonen – Lehtikuva)
- Next Article Weekend inspections target foreign labor compliance on construction sites in Southern Finland
FINNAIR on Monday communicated that it will have to cancel an estimated 550 flights on 1–2 February.
The Finnish majority state-owned airline stated that the cancellations are necessary due to a two-day political strike that will have a significant impact on not only its flights but also on operations at Helsinki Airport.
With the airline typically operating around 280 flights a day, the cancellations will affect the vast majority of its flights on 1–2 February. The cancellations will be implemented into the flight system one at a time starting this morning, with all affected passengers automatically offered alternative routings.
The processing the cancellations and re-routing passengers is expected to take around two days due to the high number of flights and customers.
While a handful of flights will be operated during the strike, the airline reminded that delays and disruptions to ground services, including baggage loading, and onboard services, including food and drink services, are possible.
“From 30 January onwards, we will start re-routing customers, using also other airlines’ flights,” said Jari Paajanen, the vice president of operations control centre at Finnair.
“We will do our very best to offer a suitable flight option to as many customer as possible, but the number of alternative flights is limited,” he added. “We ask customers to kindly wait for the re-routing from us, as our customer service team is busier than usual and queue times can be long.”
Finnair has offered its passengers the opportunity to re-schedule flights originally scheduled for 1–2 February since 19 January. Paajanen revealed that over 35,000 passengers have taken advantage of the opportunity.
Aleksi Teivainen – HT
- Next Article Weekend inspections target foreign labor compliance on construction sites in Southern Finland
Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
