TTL

I think snobbism is a bigger problem in the world than the quality of champagnes offered in airline lounges or onboard ...

mosburger

Live and let live...I find it natural that everyone has their own perception of quality and of course tastes differ.

Thanks to everyone for giving insights into the AF European and longhaul business product. Will consider flying them to the US East Coast with an overnight stopover in Paris.

helahela

Fair enough and I'm not going to comment on the champagne/cava that much, but the red wine that comes on draught for the mortal people is of such poor quality that you wouldn't use it even for cooking to your mother in law...

happy camper

In US they have TIP buckets in the bar counter even in lounges. How pathetic! I’ve never seen so many beggars in my entire life like in the US, not even in Mumbai. “Please Sir, give me tip.”

Same thing where ever you go. At least in Europe they don't expect YOU to pay their salary.

NoWindowSeat

I really, really wish we had a moderator on this board.

TTL

So do I also wish!

helahela

Try Liverpool!
Try Any "loco" hub in UK where Ryanair and Sleazyjet stag/hen orientated flights leave at funny morning hours.


But then again on a serious note and without the need of becoming personal about certain nations alcohol consumption habits I have to agree with the OP that the Finnair flagship lounge in the nonschengen area has issues:

Issue 1: It's clearly not big enough as most of the times i've been there it's quite hard to find an open table and the cleaners don't visit it as often as they should as the free tables are still full of muck from previous passangers

Issue 2: The meal voucher! Just the simple fact - that as an emerald they handed me a voucher for a hot meal, but my wife was left to indulge in the salad bar was just plain bizarre.
Issue 3: Couple the previous with the fact that I can get her a drink(or 5) for free from the premium bar makes it even stranger.

For all it's worth - if the Finnair target market is to be the choice of hub for Asian traffic, then unfortunately their ground services for the premium passangers are below par - especially if I compare it with the few asian lounges I have had a pleasure to visit.

happy camper

I really, really wish that all the tossers would disappear. Apparently one can’t always get what one wishes.

mosburger

If you look around FT, you'll find that the members most critical of US airlines and the general society tend to be American ones. However, they do this with a sense of humour and self irony and not in an openly hostile manner. Wouldn't it be good for us non-US members to follow suit?

And personal attacks are generally not viewed as gute Kinderstube ,as one says in Germany, on FT. A certain level of politeness is normally expected.

happy camper

I’m not critical about the US airliners. Just guessing the starter of this thread being American (since Location: New York, Paris). Whining about not having free champagne, at least we don’t have tip buckets in the lounges. I was just making a point. Why should we all bend over?

I was not addressing my line to anyone, so I was not the one who started this bash. IF someone tosses me about I’ll naturally response! Some people, not just in FT have an illusion, that if they generate numerous amounts of B.S. replies they have a birth right to comment on everything.

The worst are the “followers”

WilcoRoger

Sad, but true. I think no Finnish premium service could ever match their Asian counterparts. Add to this the eternal urge to cut costs (at the wrong places) and there you are - sipping your paid for drinks at uncleaned tables...

SPBanker

More cuts to come...

http://www.cisionwire.com/finnair-oy...-plans,e255288

Finnair is proceeding with the planning of savings targets, announced earlier
in connection with the second-quarter interim report. As reported at the
beginning of August, Finnair is seeking annual cost savings of 140 million
euros by 2014 to halt losses.

Planning of structural changes has been divided according to the company's main
cost centres, namely sales and marketing, fleet costs, personnel costs and
maintenance activity. Planning work is proceeding in all areas.

In sales and marketing, the goal is to focus more in future on digital
marketing, internet sales and corporate sales in markets strategically
important for Finnair and thereby to improve cost-efficiency significantly.

Finnair has been negotiating aircraft leasing agreements which are about to
expire to bring them more in line with the current leasing market situation.
These negotiations are continuing. At the same time, Finnair is evaluating the
optimum size of its fleet in European air traffic.

In personnel costs, which make up around one fifth of the company's overall
costs, the objective is also to achieve a significant increase in work
productivity by 2014. Employer-employee (YT) consultations, however, have not been initiated at this time, because the planning of savings is still in its
early stages. Nevertheless, the company aims to discuss the different savings
options openly with all employees.

In maintenance operations, where Finnair has sought to offer repair and
maintenance services for aircraft, aircraft parts, engines and landing gear to
external airlines as well as its own flight operations, the company will
initiate an analysis of technical service suppliers as well as possible
partners and means to increase productivity. The analysis will cover Finnair
Technical Services (Finnair Technical Services Ltd and Finnair Engine Services
Ltd) and may last several months.

“Although we in Finnair have achieved cost savings in recent years, our
profitability development has been unsatisfactory and we have reported losses. Our cost structure is considerably higher than that of many of our competitors, and this means we must re-evaluate our operating practices and structure. As we stated in connection with the reporting of the second-quarter result, we must find solutions for our structural problems in order to achieve sustainable profitability. Although the coming changes are likely to be painful, only with their help can we build a future Finnair and sound operations,” says Finnair CEO Mika Vehviläinen, explaining the change process.

“Based on a cost analysis we have carried out, it is evident that Finnair
Technical Services' cost competitiveness is significantly weaker than that of
its competitors. As part of Finnair's profitability programme, we will explore
measures to close this cost difference. As yet, we do not know what kind of
options we will identify, but we will analyse in the near future, through a
competitive tender, the opportunities offered by various maintenance service
companies. Finding a good solution in terms of price-quality ratio is essential
for Finnair's future. In this field of operations, too, we must be able to find
a cost-effective but at the same time quality solution,” says Ville Iho,
Finnair's Senior Vice President, Operations and Member of the Executive Board.

In addition, Finnair has initiated, and is initiating, numerous smaller savings
measures throughout the company. Finnair will purposefully continue to explore savings options and will report on the progress of this work as required.