Finnair Plus - thinner seats for A320/A319

There is a story in the finnish press that A319's and A320's will get thinner seats to take the seating from 123->138 and 159->165. How can this be possible since I thought they switched to thinner seats a couple of years ago with the magazines now at shoulder level and not knee level.
Are they buying the same ultra thin seats that lufthansa have fitted. Seems like another reason to avoid AY (which I now do on HEL-LHR thanks to seat selection not working properly with BA tickets on AY flights).

http://www.hs.fi/talous/Finnair+pakkaa+koneisiinsa+lis%C3%A4%C3%A4+penkkir ivej%C3%A4/a1305560822222

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204294504576612993395310426.htm

End-user comments on LH seats.

I like this bit:

"jalkatila pysyy suunnilleen samana." (leg-room stays more or less the same)

This is code for "an inch or two less, who'd ever notice?"

"Will get" is unfortunately "have gotten already"...

Short thigh support makes longer travel, i.e., to LHR or Mediterranean, pain in the bottom. LCC:s have it better foodwise and drinkwise but not connectionwise or luggagewise.

AY LCC.

I think it is expected, as it was said that focus is on improving earning/cost in euro-traffic.
The aim of the programme is to achieve a permanent reduction in costs of 140 million euros by 2014. The programme is focused particularly on improving the profitability of short-haul flights.

As for the LH type of seat, I am having a hard time to decide if I like or dislike them. On some flights, I think they are excellent, on some flights I find them quite bad. I don't think there is a difference in cabin layout, maybe it is just that on some days I need something better?

AY LCC.

But what is LCC, anyway? (I am asking nicely, as I am getting more and more confused these days...) If we mean LCC by offering lower quality of service, hard/soft product, then yeah - cramming in more seats in the cabin will be a less good product.


Why I am confused is because I just did a benchmark on AY and Norwegians Q1 reports. If I compare these two, I find that AY has, contradictory to beliefs, lower personnel costs than norwegian, in terms of share of total operational costs.

AY reports 621,7MEUR total operation costs, and 114,9 MEUR in personnel costs; Personnel is 18,5% of costs. Norwegian reports 19% of operation costs is "Payroll". AY fuel costs are 27% of total, while norwegian's fuel accounts for 32% of costs.

So AY is already operating with personnel and fuel costs as low/lower as the competition? And thus it is not the structure of costs, but the bulk of costs that are AY's problem?

how is the business class on the a320????there is no availability on ba so i am flying from del-lhr on ay....the second leg from hel-lhr is on the a320....

any pictures????

how is the business class on the a320????there is no availability on ba so i am flying from del-lhr on ay....the second leg from hel-lhr is on the a320....

any pictures????

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/4383/img1222ni.jpg

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/9531/img1240ck.jpg

how is the business class on the a320????there is no availability on ba so i am flying from del-lhr on ay....the second leg from hel-lhr is on the a320....

any pictures????

C-class has similar seats than in Y, the middle seat is blocked. Pics from ZRH-HEL flight:

http://inlinethumb27.webshots.com/46746/2985649130100994422S600x600Q85.jpg (http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2985649130100994422zxaUBk)

http://inlinethumb25.webshots.com/48984/2407473680100994422S600x600Q85.jpg (http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2407473680100994422QaiLwX)

C-class has similar seats than in Y, the middle seat is blocked.

Is there any difference in the seat pitch in the front rows like on BA?

Is there any difference in the seat pitch in the front rows like on BA?

Yes, my seat 1F (first row) had a better seat pitch, though I think they have ok seat pitch over all on their A320.

http://inlinethumb21.webshots.com/47956/2507016390100994422S600x600Q85.jpg (http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2507016390100994422PUTBGN)

I am not sure if the new thin seats are the same shown in the pictures above. I have flown one leg with the new seats in 319. The new enviroment with tones of grey in the seats and the just not see through striped grey white class divider curtain was quite elegant. I could not tel if the seats were even the same as the seats shown in the pictures above or if they were even thinner. I think that these seats are more comfortabel than the Lufthansa seats which feel firmer. Maybe it is because of my preference of cloth rather than leather(-imitation?).

I am not sure if the new thin seats are the same shown in the pictures above. I have flown one leg with the new seats in 319. The new enviroment with tones of grey in the seats and the just not see through striped grey white class divider curtain was quite elegant. I could not tel if the seats were even the same as the seats shown in the pictures above or if they were even thinner. I think that these seats are more comfortabel than the Lufthansa seats which feel firmer. Maybe it is because of my preference of cloth rather than leather(-imitation?).

Yes you are right, the newest seats have a greyish color. Haven't tried those myself yet, heard they are ok as you mentioned.

thanks for the pictures guys....i think i'll just spend an extra 20k avios on ba first since they have availability on the day i want....not sure if i want to redeem business class miles for economy seating....

The first row is passable with these LCC seats, others less so.

thanks for the pictures guys....i think i'll just spend an extra 20k avios on ba first since they have availability on the day i want....not sure if i want to redeem business class miles for economy seating....

Sounds like a good decision. For your future short-haul flights, even BA is getting rid of the convertible C class seats.