Finnair Celebrates 100 Years with USD 220 Million in Cabin Upgrades

Finland's flag carrier is turning 100 this year and celebrating with a $220 million investment that upgrades its in-flight experience and introduces its first premium economy cabin.

The Finnair investment began last year and will take two years to complete. In addition to the premium economy cabin, business class is being totally redesigned. 

The new business-class seat, called the AirLounge, took four years to design and is meant to create more space for flyers. It offers a fixed, contoured design with a width enabling passengers to sit cross-legged, lie flat or enjoy additional workspace. Fans of Finnish design will be pleased to see Marimekko blankets and amenity bags and Iittalia tableware in the cabin, as well. 

Economy cabin seats are also getting an overhaul, with memory foam cushions, improved ergonomics and a redesigned seatback entertainment system with larger screens.

"It's a very holistic view, and obviously a differentiating factor," said Robert Lonn-blad, Finnair's market director of global sales. 

The investment coincides with the launch this spring of the carrier's largest North American schedule to date, driven by last year's addition of service from Dallas and Seattle. It already flies nonstop to Helsinki from Chicago, New York, Miami and Los Angeles. 

Driving the expansion, Lonnblad said, is the U.S. travel market's relatively quick recovery from the pandemic and Finnair's desire for a more balanced portfolio. 

"We can see there is also more interest when we talk about traveling to Europe from the U.S. and particularly Northern Europe," he said, adding that media attention around Finland ranking No. 1 in the annual World Happiness Report for the sixth time in a row, coupled with its decision join NATO, has raised the country's profile in the U.S. 

Finnair said its extensive network within Europe is also attractive to Americans. "You can make smooth connections to anywhere in Europe," he said.

Lonnblad called being an American Airlines joint venture and Oneworld alliance partner "a big advantage" that, in combination with the cabin investments, makes the airline "a standout" in the busy transatlantic market.