Finnair nonstop longhaul flights from ARN
Dec 20, 2021, 2:30 pm
#151
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Location: The part of NC where we have electricity, paved roads, and high school diplomas.
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The ARN routes to JFK and LAX perform a lot better than the MIA route, mostly because the MIA flight is usually served by an aircraft making several round trips to/from Asia and the US without any extended stops, while the JFK flight is often preceded by a 6+ hour stop that allows them to catch up.
Dec 22, 2021, 7:06 pm
#152
Join Date: Aug 2008
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The ARN routes to JFK and LAX perform a lot better than the MIA route, mostly because the MIA flight is usually served by an aircraft making several round trips to/from Asia and the US without any extended stops, while the JFK flight is often preceded by a 6+ hour stop that allows them to catch up.
Dec 25, 2021, 2:29 am
#153
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Location: The part of NC where we have electricity, paved roads, and high school diplomas.
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Do Finnair business class passengers get access to the priority security control at Arlanda?
I can’t find anything on Finnair’s or Swedavia’s web pages.
I can’t find anything on Finnair’s or Swedavia’s web pages.
Dec 25, 2021, 2:31 am
#154
Join Date: May 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Plat (OWE), SK EBG (*A Gold), KQ Plat (STE+), Accor Plat
Posts: 3,157
For business classic and flex ticket types only.
Dec 25, 2021, 4:14 am
#155
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Yes.https://www.finnair.com/en/smooth-tr...security-check
For business classic and flex ticket types only.
For business classic and flex ticket types only.
Jan 3, 2022, 8:57 am
#156
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Location: The part of NC where we have electricity, paved roads, and high school diplomas.
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I flew ARN-MIA last week, and the frequent and long delays all seem to be caused by the same issue: lack of ground staff to process paperwork and manage boarding.
AY uses Menzies for the ARN ground handling, and it appears that AY is simply not willing to pay Menzies enough to properly staff the handling of the flights.
Both the LAX and MIA flights are scheduled to depart at 14:25. That means that Menzies must staff two separate gates and handle the boarding of both flights at the same time. Had the flights been staggered by 1.5 - 2 hours the same Menzies staff could process one flight and then move to process the second one. But that's not what AY has chosen to do.
Since the bag drop doesn't close until 13:40, 45 minutes before departure, Menzies needs to keep some staff at the checkin desks until then instead of being able to move them to the gates at an earlier time.
My observations of the gate handling for my flight:
- While the airport monitors showed "Go To Gate" at 13:10, no staff arrived until 13:35.
- At 13:40 they started the passenger processing at the gate. They had two lines, one for priority passengers and one for everyone else.
-- For passengers originating at ARN, the staff scanned the boarding pass, performed a quick visual check of the passport, and verified that each passenger had filled out the attestation form before collecting it and updating the passenger status in the computer.
-- For passengers transiting at ARN, the staff also had to verify negative COVID tests. This added extra time, especially since only one staff member was trained to do this.
- The ground staff consisted for two agents, one that knew what he was doing, and one staff member who appeared to be performing the document checks for the first time. After about 10 minutes of not being able to perform the document checks and repeatedly having to ask the experienced agent for help, the "rookie" gave up and another person took over her position. Unfortunately he was equally inept at performing the documentation checks, and the experienced agent had to spend a lot of time helping out.
- Because of the document check slowdown, the last passenger could not board until close to 15:00.
Once boarding was completed, Menzies once again showed their ineptness. The deicing that was supposed to finish at 15:00 didn't finish until close to 15:15. Then the pushback truck couldn't get enough traction to push the aircraft all the way through the turn so that we could taxi out. We made it halfway, but then they had to spend 10-15 minutes spreading sand before they could get enough traction to push all the way back. There was a QR 787 parked at the next gate over, so we needed to get all the way back in order to make the turn.
We took off at 15:45, delayed by 80 minutes.
The boarding could have been completed on time and we could have left on time if competent gate agents had started the document checks earlier.
Having to keep some staff at the checkin desks until the bag drop closed at 13:40 clearly impacted their ability to start the document checks on time, and having only two staff members handling a full flight took a very long time. Perhaps they could have had more staff if they didn't have to do the same thing at the LAX gate at the same time.
It all comes down to staffing and how much AY is willing to pay Menzies to provide enough staff to handle both the checkin and gate document checks for two flights leaving at the same time, and the gate document checks need to start before the checkin desks close.
But AY probably doesn't want to pay Menzies enough to make that happen...
The scheduled arrival time at MIA is 18:55, but we did not arrive at the gate until 20:10.
I was able to make it through immigration quickly thanks to Global Entry and my bags arrived around 20:45. My next flight was supposed to depart at 21:10, which meant I was supposed to be at the gate at 20:55. Obviously not feasible since I'd have to get through security (30 minute waiting time at the international arrivals checkpoint) and make it to the gate in time. MIA is a pretty big airport, and even taking the terminal train and getting close to my gate at the far end of the terminal would have taken a pretty long time.
If it weren't for my domestic US flight from MIA being delayed by 20 minutes (which I found out at about the same time as my bags arrived), I would have missed the last flight home that evening and would have had to spend another 11 hours at MIA.
Thanks to advice in the AA forum I knew that I could run to the TSA Pre checkpoint instead of standing in line at the security checkpoint next to international arrivals, and I was able to get through security and make it to my gate by 21:15.
You can imagine the anger I would have felt for AY if I had missed that flight...
AY uses Menzies for the ARN ground handling, and it appears that AY is simply not willing to pay Menzies enough to properly staff the handling of the flights.
Both the LAX and MIA flights are scheduled to depart at 14:25. That means that Menzies must staff two separate gates and handle the boarding of both flights at the same time. Had the flights been staggered by 1.5 - 2 hours the same Menzies staff could process one flight and then move to process the second one. But that's not what AY has chosen to do.
Since the bag drop doesn't close until 13:40, 45 minutes before departure, Menzies needs to keep some staff at the checkin desks until then instead of being able to move them to the gates at an earlier time.
My observations of the gate handling for my flight:
- While the airport monitors showed "Go To Gate" at 13:10, no staff arrived until 13:35.
- At 13:40 they started the passenger processing at the gate. They had two lines, one for priority passengers and one for everyone else.
-- For passengers originating at ARN, the staff scanned the boarding pass, performed a quick visual check of the passport, and verified that each passenger had filled out the attestation form before collecting it and updating the passenger status in the computer.
-- For passengers transiting at ARN, the staff also had to verify negative COVID tests. This added extra time, especially since only one staff member was trained to do this.
- The ground staff consisted for two agents, one that knew what he was doing, and one staff member who appeared to be performing the document checks for the first time. After about 10 minutes of not being able to perform the document checks and repeatedly having to ask the experienced agent for help, the "rookie" gave up and another person took over her position. Unfortunately he was equally inept at performing the documentation checks, and the experienced agent had to spend a lot of time helping out.
- Because of the document check slowdown, the last passenger could not board until close to 15:00.
Once boarding was completed, Menzies once again showed their ineptness. The deicing that was supposed to finish at 15:00 didn't finish until close to 15:15. Then the pushback truck couldn't get enough traction to push the aircraft all the way through the turn so that we could taxi out. We made it halfway, but then they had to spend 10-15 minutes spreading sand before they could get enough traction to push all the way back. There was a QR 787 parked at the next gate over, so we needed to get all the way back in order to make the turn.
We took off at 15:45, delayed by 80 minutes.
The boarding could have been completed on time and we could have left on time if competent gate agents had started the document checks earlier.
Having to keep some staff at the checkin desks until the bag drop closed at 13:40 clearly impacted their ability to start the document checks on time, and having only two staff members handling a full flight took a very long time. Perhaps they could have had more staff if they didn't have to do the same thing at the LAX gate at the same time.
It all comes down to staffing and how much AY is willing to pay Menzies to provide enough staff to handle both the checkin and gate document checks for two flights leaving at the same time, and the gate document checks need to start before the checkin desks close.
But AY probably doesn't want to pay Menzies enough to make that happen...
The scheduled arrival time at MIA is 18:55, but we did not arrive at the gate until 20:10.
I was able to make it through immigration quickly thanks to Global Entry and my bags arrived around 20:45. My next flight was supposed to depart at 21:10, which meant I was supposed to be at the gate at 20:55. Obviously not feasible since I'd have to get through security (30 minute waiting time at the international arrivals checkpoint) and make it to the gate in time. MIA is a pretty big airport, and even taking the terminal train and getting close to my gate at the far end of the terminal would have taken a pretty long time.
If it weren't for my domestic US flight from MIA being delayed by 20 minutes (which I found out at about the same time as my bags arrived), I would have missed the last flight home that evening and would have had to spend another 11 hours at MIA.
Thanks to advice in the AA forum I knew that I could run to the TSA Pre checkpoint instead of standing in line at the security checkpoint next to international arrivals, and I was able to get through security and make it to my gate by 21:15.
You can imagine the anger I would have felt for AY if I had missed that flight...
Last edited by WindowSeatFlyer; Jan 3, 2022 at 9:15 am
Jan 3, 2022, 5:11 pm
#157
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bangkok / London
Programs: BA Silver, AmEx Platinum, AVIS Presidents Club, Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 1,106
ARN to BKK with Finnair
Does anyone have any comments on this route yet, good or bad? We are flying LHR-ARN-BKK and looking forward to flying on the long Finnair sector (10h 20m) in business. Is the service on board the same as a Finnair flight from HEL would be?
Jan 4, 2022, 1:34 am
#158
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: 14,174
There have been a few reoprts on another forum, perhaps you can enjoy pictures and/or google translate if you don't read swedish.
https://www.businessclass.se/forum/t...innair.101630/
https://www.businessclass.se/forum/t...d-pass.101701/
Just notice, these reports are usually from people not accustomed to Finnair and there is likely no comparison to HEL-BKK route either. Also, these travellers were given platinum for free in a match offer.
https://www.businessclass.se/forum/t...innair.101630/
https://www.businessclass.se/forum/t...d-pass.101701/
Just notice, these reports are usually from people not accustomed to Finnair and there is likely no comparison to HEL-BKK route either. Also, these travellers were given platinum for free in a match offer.
Jan 4, 2022, 3:10 pm
#159
Join Date: Jul 2007
Programs: AY Gold
Posts: 596
No personal experience on ARN-BKK yet but according to the family members the biggest difference was ARN-BKK didn't have Thai cabin crew members. The HEL-BKK has 2-3 typically and they are much liked. Otherwise business as usual.
Jan 7, 2022, 7:57 am
#161
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,749
I sort of feel sorry for AY. No matter what they come up with, there's always a new obstacle to overcome.
10JAN is logical. And 28JAN is customer-friendly.
10JAN is logical. And 28JAN is customer-friendly.
Jan 8, 2022, 7:07 am
#164
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