Originally Posted by
WilcoRoger
There is one thing I really don't get with AY's Asian strategy. The slogan is that "the shortest route to N-Asia is via HEL". So far so good.
Just last week I was flying LHR-NRT on BA* and they were really flying over HEL (or actually over Lahti or Hämeenlinna) - but how would have my trip been shorter with a change of planes in HEL? Same goes for SK, LH and LX (and probably AF/KL as well). Why/how is via HEL shorter than direct?
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Quite right, but LHR-HEL-NRT is only 0,9% longer than the direct. So for
any other origin than LHR, AY flights will be shorter.
For CPH-HEL-NRT the difference is measly 0,1%.
So for connecting 'europe' with asia, I guess it is 'the shortest' as far as marketing speech goes. (Also, didn't they come up with this strategy/slogan at a time when AY was the 'only' one flying the great circle northern route?)
Originally Posted by
WilcoRoger
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Of course there is the commercial side, with AY offering bloody good prices ex-EUR with transfers in HEL, but that is another kettle of fish.
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*JL stock, ex-EU open jaw with incredible prices, sub-2k€ in C - and I actually need those EU-legs. Return NRT-HEL on JL metal - nice experience, final leg on AY metal to CE-Europe.
Yeah, keep rubbing it in
I am already 90% decided to leave AY+ because of the ridiculous JV pricing scheme, where low fares only can be had if you want to credit miles to BAEC.