Finnair Plus - Strike will end immediately

Normal operations (100%) expected by Friday but many flights operating from tomorrow already.

Interesting to find out what was agreed upon...

Interesting to find out what was agreed upon...

Exactly! Nothing public as of yet, just the fact that an agreement has been signed..

Normal operations (100%) expected by Friday but many flights operating from tomorrow already.


Glad it´s over finally.


See Reuters for article.



RPT-Finnair says pilots strike ends, to resume flights
Tue Nov 17, 2009 12:30pm EST
HELSINKI, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Finnair (FIA1S.HE) said on Tuesday its pilots had agreed to a state mediator's proposal to end a two-day strike that grounded most of the carrier's planes and left its customers stranded across the globe.

A spokesman told Reuters that the firm expected to fly 60-70 flights on Wednesday, with full service due to resume on Friday. Details of the mediator's proposal were not immediately available.

Finnair estimated the strike would cost it 2.5-5 million euros ($3.7-7.5 million) per day, affecting all its traffic except for leisure flights.

Finnair and the Finnish Airline Pilots' Association had tried to reach a deal for more than a year, with the talks coming to a head in recent weeks after Finnair started to outsource some routes.

Like other airlines, state-controlled Finnair has slashed capacity, cut jobs and launched a number of cost saving programmes as the economic slowdown has reduced demand.

The struggling carrier, which expects a loss for 2009, has said it has a long way to go before it could be sustainably competitive. [ID:nLS157770] ($1=.6712 Euro)


© Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved


dutch_122

Interesting to find out what was agreed upon...

In a nutshell:


The already agreed 5% reduction of wages and some changes to the retirement terms.
AY guarantees that no pilots will be laid off or suspended during 2010 (I guess this means that if there's no work for all the pilots the pilots will still retain their basic salary, but obviously miss on all the per flight extras).
The pilots union agreed that AY can outsource flights and work, but those flights cannot be operated under the Finnair brand. Thus the mantra "Finnair pilots flying on Finnair planes" will stay. I'm pretty sure this will mean that additional Embraers will be painted to the FC colors, operated by FC pilots.

The pilots union agreed that AY can outsource flights and work, but those flights cannot be operated under the Finnair brand. Thus the mantra "Finnair pilots flying on Finnair planes" will stay. I'm pretty sure this will mean that additional Embraers will be painted to the FC colors, operated by FC pilots.
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Interesting question will be whether it is allowed to have AY codeshare on those flights. Especially interesting if we translate that as a question: "Do we get OneWorld (non-AY) mileage from those flights?"

I would assume that the answer would be yes, I interpret the Finnair brand as that it wouldn't be allowed to fly those flights with Finnair painted in that plane but codeshare would be allowed.

They could as well put an end to the ridiculous and becoming even more ridiculous (silicone tits) Finnair plus and resign from OneWorld!

PS. Lately, the SK gold card has gotten some new use. ARJs, MD 82/90s, T1 HEL and T5 ARN are quite bearable. Wish they would launch a direct service KUO-ARN soon. My tiny KUO-HEL business once a week has been permanently moved over to SK due to this strike. By doing so I also avoid having to deal with HEL AY check-in vultures, which is a definite bonus!

They could as well put an end to the ridiculous and becoming even more ridiculous (silicone tits) Finnair plus and resign from OneWorld!

PS. Lately, the SK gold card has gotten some new use.

The folks over at SK forum say differently, mostly grumbling about that most of alphabet earns only 25% only (unknown in AY world)

Happy to be able to fly in Y or above...

Interesting question will be whether it is allowed to have AY codeshare on those flights. Especially interesting if we translate that as a question: "Do we get OneWorld (non-AY) mileage from those flights?"


Hmm, I think the current FC-operated flights are the way it is going to work out - especially the two Embraers leased to FC for operating HEL-VNO purely for AY and HEL-KEM and some other domestics with FC flight numbers and AY codeshare. I think you can get OW mileage in the first case but not on the second one.

My tiny KUO-HEL business once a week has been permanently moved over to SK due to this strike. By doing so I also avoid having to deal with HEL AY check-in vultures, which is a definite bonus!

Why would you have to deal with the check in at all in AY's case? It's a domestic flight, so just go to the gate and ignore check in. Or do you really have so much luggage that you need to check it in?

Confused, as I think both AY and SK check in at HEL is pretty much the same experience - AY has a larger operation and more desks, but on the other hand has more pax as well...

Happy to be able to fly in Y or above...

Try Economy once and you realize why we complain so loudly in SK forum. That isn't fun experience but it is an experience. :D :D

Getting OT: ...those times I need to check in due to luggage... Having pre-assigned seat and functioning priority package tags are nice touches in domestic traffic. The offerings on board also beat those of AY. And their domestic time table also suits me well.

But as the time goes by, let´s see how the AY / FC picture evolves and perhaps I can also readjust my feelings about this rock bottom madness pilot strike. Writing this in London and expecting to sample the KF Economy extra from LHR to KUO soon. Won´t be able to sample the BAEC Flounge though :( unless they accept my cancelled AY ticket...