Finnair newbie questions thread (flame-free)
Oct 23, 2018, 11:51 pm
#1621
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Helsinki-Vantaa APT, Finland
Programs: AY LUMO
Posts: 6,055
Why Finns choose SK or LH....better connections, corporate rules, loyalty program, pricing, hate AY etc
Like Swedes, SK has poor connections to Asia (serving only 4 cities and all exCPH) so AY with smooth connection via HEL is a natural choice.
Oct 24, 2018, 12:42 am
#1622
Join Date: May 2018
Programs: JMB
Posts: 132
Next month I have a flight to FRA-HEL-KIX with FRA-HEL in Y and HEL-KIX in C. Got a mail yesterday stating I can use priority check-in / baggage drop and priority sec. check in FRA though being only Y for the SH. Lounge access was not mentioned (only referred to "check the boarding pass"). My assumption was that I can't access the lounge in FRA (only in HEL) but since I can use the priority CI and sec., I'm unsure. Anyone knows how Finnair will handle this?
Oct 24, 2018, 1:03 am
#1623
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,166
Long story (that I might publish someday) but in short coincidences and after that fitting schedules/interesting destinations.
Back then I do remember I appreciated their language skills and ability to make me "feel at home", so to a certain degree there was an element of "home carrier" despite not being my flag carrier.
All that is long gone, and Finnair is not more home to me than many other airlines. AY feels pretty much like China Southern only with newer equipment. They are airlines that fly places I want to go, at sometimes attractive prices and with decent food/service in J.
The destination/schedule argument have weakened over time too. Destinations have not developed positively for me, and pricing strategies/failed partnerships have killed off favourite AY-destinations like Japan and Australasia.
I think Finns might feel closer to Finnair than other citizens do to their flag carrier. I don't think I ever saw SK as "my" airline which I ought to prefer.
My current relationship with SK is that they are convenient but craptastic on shorthaul - I wouldn't dream of prioritising them over alternatives unless price and/or star alliance perks motivates me. On longhaul, a bit different. The J product is great but too few destinations and massively overpriced disqualifies them.
Oct 24, 2018, 2:15 am
#1624
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Finland
Programs: BA gold, OWE
Posts: 373
Oct 24, 2018, 2:51 am
#1625
Join Date: May 2018
Programs: JMB
Posts: 132
Oct 24, 2018, 3:27 am
#1626
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: AY Plat Lumo, LX SEN, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 461
Does a Finn living abroad count? I do have some home bias naturally, but I fly to Asia a few times a year and AY J provides great value for money. Plus I can have a stopover at "home" on the way.
Oct 24, 2018, 3:47 am
#1627
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: HEL
Programs: lots of shiny metal cards
Posts: 14,104
AY flies to many secondary airports in Europe that has no/few direct flights (to Asia) - those pax have many options, but all are with connections. HEL is easy to conect, AY has usually very good prices ex-EU and no backtracking for eastbound travel. At the Asian end they have many CN destinations, some are weakly served from Europe. If you do it regularly, it's worth to sign up for AY instead of BA or IB.
Oct 24, 2018, 8:13 am
#1628
Join Date: May 2016
Location: BLL
Programs: AY+ Platinum, SK Gold, HHonors Silver
Posts: 405
I am Finnish but currently based in Denmark. Using Finnair too little these days. Maybe one year of Plat still ahead and then I lose the top tiers unless I move somewhere else where OneWorld provides best all-round connections.
Oct 24, 2018, 9:51 am
#1629
Join Date: May 2012
Location: GVA (HEL)
Programs: AY Plat (OWE)
Posts: 536
But next week, while visiting Finland, I’ll be taking advantage of the past great QR offer HEL-HKT rt in J. (Of course they swapped 787 to A330 some time ago on HEL-DOH, but otherwise looking forward). Other forthcoming l/h trips are still on AY.
Oct 24, 2018, 10:04 am
#1630
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: AY Plat Lumo, LX SEN, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 461
I’m in the same situation and I normally have the same approach.
But next week, while visiting Finland, I’ll be taking advantage of the past great QR offer HEL-HKT rt in J. (Of course they swapped 787 to A330 some time ago on HEL-DOH, but otherwise looking forward). Other forthcoming l/h trips are still on AY.
Oct 24, 2018, 1:41 pm
#1631
Join Date: May 2014
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+Plat, ALL Plat, Scandic L2
Posts: 3,620
- Family or national ties to Finland,
- Business need to go to Finland,
- Business need to go from secondary EU airport to Asia with convenient AY connections and no direct flights.
I know several FF who have status with an airline that is not even based on the same continent (though not it is not AY).
Oct 25, 2018, 6:16 pm
#1633
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: TLL
Programs: AY+ Plat, TK Elite
Posts: 233
I live in Australia 
I have AY status because I was with AY before I moved. I have considered switching to QF, but I probably wouldn't benefit much as a Y flyer and QF has a convulated and stingy system of Status Credits etc.
I have AY status because I was with AY before I moved. I have considered switching to QF, but I probably wouldn't benefit much as a Y flyer and QF has a convulated and stingy system of Status Credits etc.
