last week, I went to HKG for the weekend. I haven't set my foot on an AY A350 for almost 2 years now (since NOV 2015, the inaugural PVG flight), and I've decided to celebrate the moment with a small report. It is not a trip report, but I scribbled down some notes and took some photos, and will publish it 'as is' here.
When I visited HOTT a few weeks ago, I learned that some of our friends at Finnair reads FT and that my 'SK vs AY' review had drawn some interest internally. Now, that was from 6+ flights taken on the same route over a short period of time, while this is only some random notes I took on two AY flights, to see if my initial judgement of A350 lasted. So even as acting editor for the piece, I cannot make it into a similar thing. I do however hope to be able to return later this autumn with a 'QR vs AY' review, to the delight/horror of customer experience experts!
AY69 - night flight - OH-LWD
Boarding - The first thing I noticed was that despite using the new gates with dual jetbridges they still board through one single door!
Because of weather (low visibility - increased separation) I arrived pretty late to HEL, rushed through slow passport control and the (to my delight) closed taxfree maze, all the way to the new south pier and onboard, and probably boarded last.
When seated, no one offers to take my jacket, and I got no offer of boarding drink either. Even at the pre-takeoff run, there is no offer to take jacket and all the other loose items (jacket, shoes, pillow and blanket) are allowed to stay on the floor in front of me - nothing is stowed for take-off.
By the way, the overhead storage is full anyway - this is only natural as there are no bins over DH seats - but in these times when people tend to carry more and more onboard, I find this design a bad idea.
Anyway, I push some softer bags to the side and try to fit my very normal carry on (55x40x20) like this.
To my surprise my bag can't fit! The stowage cannot take a 55cm bag on the depth if standing up, because the height of the space in very low in the back. Only after slanting the bag 30-45° is it possible to close the lid. This is pretty poor performance for a modern aircraft cabin.
All the seat fittings have been replaced and from a first glance nothing looks to be broken. However, hinges on the lid of the personal storage is worn out and has a big play. Seat also has a big play in the mechanism, meaning if I lean back, the whole seat will tilt a few cm. Seat is also squeaky, and with the lower cabin noise, I can hear other seats squeak all through the night.
Armrests still stand out as very odd. One side is too short, too high up and fixed. Other side is too far away to be of any use. In its highest position it still is lower than the fixed one. There is no way to sit comfortably and use both armrests.
On the surface, cabin cleanliness looks good, but a quick swipe with the hot towel on the armrests comes back black.
I try to get online, and the new system that takes Name and seat number is convenient. The getting online is very slow though - it takes several minutes. And it is not just a temporary thing. Finnair has added some "fun facts" that are showing during the wait. I watch 10-20 of them (or so it feels) before i finally am connected.
I want to turn the lights on, so I look for the control. For some reason the remote control is mounted upside down! Better not confuse the light button with the call button...
The light is rather poor (as can be seen in some photos)
Dinner service
30 minutes after take off is my first encounter with any crew member. I am asked if I'd like to have diner. With no food on the shorthaul, poor offerings at ARN lounge and no time to go to HEL lounge, I haven't had a proper meal since lunch (12h ago) so of course I want to eat. I also ask for a "Blue sky" as a pre-dinner drink.
15 minutes later, table is dressed with table cloth. Immediately after that, purser appears and makes a nice chat. She is well aware that I boarded late due to late incoming and does a good job defusing the situation. Not only are her conversational skills better, her English is also better than the average Finn crew. This goes for entire crew too.
Immediately after this chat, the blue sky and the white wine for the meal arrives simultaneous. So now I have all my drinks as pre-dinner drinks.
9 minutes later, 1 hour after take off, the food tray arrives. Sauce has spilled on the cloth, this has become a trademark for Finnair...
On the tray is 1 fork and 2 knives. Chopsticks seems to be entirely gone from the concept, there are none on the tray and I can't see anyone in the cabin is offered either. There is also no salt & pepper on the tray!
Now I notice that the table is really small, and the tray fills it entirely. There is no space for the drinks, so they must be kept on the side table at all times.
5 minutes after the meal arrives, bread is offered.
25 minutes later, I am finished eating and tray, table cloth and napkin is collected. There is no chance of getting a port wine with the cheese (or should I have ordered it as a pre-dinner drink?)
Ice cream is then offered and placed on the naked table. I do like icecream in the air, but Finnair's icecream offer is nowhere near what other airlines can do.
Sitting comfort
One thing I was annoyed with before was the fixed table and thus the huge distance between seat and table when eating. This time I discover it is possible to move the seat slightly closer via the manual control and I could get a bit closer to the table. Not perfect, but better. You must still stay pretty upright and not recline the seat as your legs otherwise will not fit under the table.
One thing I didn't remember as a problem from 2015, but now really annoys me, is the leg rest. It is difficult to describe the problem, but the backside of legs hurts very quickly. The leg rest is fixed in height and distance, putting a strain on the knees bending backwards. There is insufficient support for the thighs, and one workaround is to put the pillow under the thighs to angle the legs and make it slightly more comfortable.
Sleep
I still find sleeping position uncomfortable. Main issues are:
* Sleeping on right side is OK for legs, as tunnel bends to the left and shanks will fit. Sleeping on left side is almost impossible as both knees and heels hits the wall on each side.
* Airbag is really big and in the way as soon as I move. Even if you remove seat belt during sleep (not recommended) the airbag has no where to go, and just lies on the bed limiting the width of the seat.
* I find the upholstery very hard and uncomfotable, but the experience might be aggravated due to I can't turn in my sleep so I stay on my right side longer than normal.
Breakfast service
I did fill out the order form for breakfast and it was collected after takeoff. The flight has very strong tail wind and we are planned to arrive some 45 minutes early. Crew lights the cabin at a 1:19 before landing and at 1:14 before landing there is breakfast on the table. This tray has salt & pepper!
Crew is very efficient during this service. I don't know if it is because we are early, but I do appreciate not being woken at 2 hours before. Crew does not look stressed, something I usually see in Finnish crew when serving meal close to landing.
By the way, at wake up they serve blueberry juice. And on tray is more - enough with the blueberries now!
On "prepare-cabin-for-landing", the flight attendant is now a bit unhappy with all the stuff that I still keep on the floor. She hangs the jacket on the hook - that is a first for me to be allowed to have jacket at hand during TO/landing!
The return
AY100 - day flight - OH-LWB
All the same observations, except that I find 1A having better space for feet and leg. I didn't measure so it is just subjectively, but I was able to doze off irrespectively of lying on left or right side, indicating the foot tunnel is much less curved here.
The dinner service is considerably slower on this flight.
Cleaning is as poor - this time I also swipe the airbag and towel is even more black.
Service
Amuse bouche is served and so this time it is possible to get a drink before dinner. The amuse is supposed to be eaten with a toothpick (hidden under the asparagus!), but as the filled pepper is quite a big bite it is difficult. I end up eating it all in one bite, and it is not a sophisticated feeling.
Sitting comfort
This time I try to relieve legs by resting feet on end of footrest and bend knees some 75°. This is good for backside of legs, but instead I discover knees hits the protruding casing holding the screen.
I once again notice the smallness of the table as it is not possible to operate a small laptop while enjoying a drink.
Dinner service
I opt for "the salad" entrée and it is a piece of salmon on top of vinegar pickled vegetables and mustard seeds. I do like it a lot, but I wonder how this pretty strong flavour is to all the international pax. But personally thumbs up for great taste and presentation!
None of the mains are anything I am attracted to (strange mashes and buckwheat everywhere I look), but I go for the "meatballs with strange mash". I eat the meatballs and leave all the mash. The flight attendant (young male) forgets the lingonberry jam when serving, but comes back 5 minutes later and makes up for his mistake by adding one large click for each of the three meatballs I now have left.
Before main arrives, tray is cleared together with any bread&butter. I do get to keep the salt & pepper and a new fork&knife set is handed out (as the 1 fork/2 knives just isn't cutting (!) it when there is a full meal.
Inflight snack bar is put above seat 1H so I am not bothered with it. However, it is a very poor show - some Fazer chocolates. Nothing to get up for.
Toilet in front of 1A is broken from start (did it even leave HEL broken?) so no foot traffic at my seat but long wait to get to the toilets. I really dread the marsuhäkki/high-density version of A350 as they have cut down on toilets on those birds.
Second meal
Again menu does not offer anything very attractive (or memorable) but I go for fried rice vermicelli. It tasted good, slightly over salted. Again, no chopstick in sight, and this dish could really do with a pair. I find it very odd to not carry chopsticks on an Asian route.
