Last edit by: mpkz
The following AY short and middle haul flights are currently operated by widebodies:
AY1331/1332 HEL-LHR-HEL, A359, DAY1337/1338 HEL-LHR-HEL, A333, D
AY1411/1412 HEL-FRA-HEL, A359, 6 (until 29OCT22)
AY1963/1964 HEL-DXB-HEL, A330, 135 (during winter 22-23)
As a rule, service will be the usual AY shorthaul concept both in Y and J, with the exception of IFE (available free of charge to all, with cheap in-ear headphones provided in J and Y) and internet (longhaul rules apply, ie Plats get free wifi for the duration of the flight, Golds and J get one hour). Y+ seats are sold as extra legroom seats with no special service, but cannot be chosen free of charge unless you're Plat or Lumo.
DXB is an exception, see https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/finn...dubai-dxb.html for details.
Widebodies on non-longhaul flights
#46
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Programs: TK *G, BA Gold
Posts: 592
or do you mean some passengers arrive without the right paperwork to transit through UK airports and their luggage has to be removed, slowing down the luggage of the other passengers (surely this doesn't happen that often?)
#47
Join Date: May 2014
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+Plat, ALL Plat, Scandic L2
Posts: 3,619
https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa/dire...e-transit-visa
As this discussion demonstrates, this is not well-known, and leads to occasional denied boardings at HEL. That and people who just did not get a visa to enter the UK or Ireland.
#48
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Helsinki-Vantaa APT, Finland
Programs: AY LUMO
Posts: 6,043
#49
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Platinum, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,132
#50
Join Date: May 2014
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+Plat, ALL Plat, Scandic L2
Posts: 3,619
#51
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
The UK requires visa even for international-international air transit:
https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa/dire...e-transit-visa
As this discussion demonstrates, this is not well-known, and leads to occasional denied boardings at HEL. That and people who just did not get a visa to enter the UK or Ireland.
https://www.gov.uk/transit-visa/dire...e-transit-visa
As this discussion demonstrates, this is not well-known, and leads to occasional denied boardings at HEL. That and people who just did not get a visa to enter the UK or Ireland.
#52
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Plat Lumo, SK Gold
Posts: 948
TSA is stringent here and self-service bag drop is not available for flights to the US.
#53
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
Also, what would prompt a gate agent to check for a visa on a HEL-LHR flight—and whatever that alert is, why doesn't it come up when the passenger tries to check in, even if online? I would guess that the majority, if not most, passengers on a regular HEL-LHR flight do not require a visa to get on the plane. Any passengers connecting from a country that would require a visa should have had their visas checked at their point of origin, no? And how many people originating in HEL need a visa to enter or transit the UK?
#54
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Platinum, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,132
I would find it hard to believe that AY does not check visas at check-in if you're traveling with a passport that requires a visa. Often times, visas are checked at boarding, but that doesn't mean that's the only time visas are checked. Also, I don't think flights to LHR generally have a visa check (at least as far as I recall), so this issue should be caught at check-in in any event.
One thing I can think of is that European residents do not need either passport or visa for a Schengen trip. ID cards are rarely checked for such trips. If this trips has airside transit in e.g. LHR, and the resident does not hold a Schengen passport, then suddenly there is a visa problem.
#55
Join Date: May 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), SK EBG (*A Gold), KQ Plat (STE+), Accor Plat, Hilton Honors Gold
Posts: 3,154
One thing I can think of is that European residents do not need either passport or visa for a Schengen trip. ID cards are rarely checked for such trips. If this trips has airside transit in e.g. LHR, and the resident does not hold a Schengen passport, then suddenly there is a visa problem.
#56
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum (oneworld Emerald), Bonvoy/Radisson/Hilton Gold
Posts: 146
#57
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Platinum, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,132
This is rather far-fetched, but I am thinking perhaps you are able to fly e.g. OUL-HEL-LHR-MAD and you might be able to drop bags on the first flight, having them checked to final? If so, bags would be cleared but passenger is trapped in immigrations at HEL.
For a OUL-HEL-MAD flight there is no need for a visa, or even a passport, so I could see this beeing overlooked at bag-drop for the first itinerary.
(I am only trying to find a scenario where the issue talked about may occur. I agree with Courmisch the transit visa is not well known, but struggling to find actual cases where this will mean bag en-masse is being offloaded at HEL)
#58
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
This is rather far-fetched, but I am thinking perhaps you are able to fly e.g. OUL-HEL-LHR-MAD and you might be able to drop bags on the first flight, having them checked to final? If so, bags would be cleared but passenger is trapped in immigrations at HEL.
For a OUL-HEL-MAD flight there is no need for a visa, or even a passport, so I could see this beeing overlooked at bag-drop for the first itinerary.
(I am only trying to find a scenario where the issue talked about may occur. I agree with Courmisch the transit visa is not well known, but struggling to find actual cases where this will mean bag en-masse is being offloaded at HEL)
For a OUL-HEL-MAD flight there is no need for a visa, or even a passport, so I could see this beeing overlooked at bag-drop for the first itinerary.
(I am only trying to find a scenario where the issue talked about may occur. I agree with Courmisch the transit visa is not well known, but struggling to find actual cases where this will mean bag en-masse is being offloaded at HEL)
#59
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Platinum, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,132
Hence the first comment that this visa requirement is relatively unknown as people assumes everyone with permanent residency in Europe also holds a European passport...
#60
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
Anyways, I think the additional 10 minutes is probably a buffer for deicing and weather issues, since the dates seem to align with the winter season.