Flying the same route in a week's time. Flight is going arrive in HEL 4 hours later than originally planned. Connection to LHR is going to be missed, forcing an overnight stay. What can one do in case of holding an Economy Light ticket here? Possible to get a refund and not fly? (AY has not informed me of new schedule yet)

I'd contact AY and ask for options

I have to admit that this raised my eyebrows a little, but today, arriving from IST and walking to passport control in my short-sleeved shirt, I noticed that the airport is indeed remarkably cold. Is Finavia saving money by not heating up the terminal properly?

I don't mind to be honest. In fact, it's a good thing. Airports and other indoor rooms are usually too warm. One may have to hurry to a gate, walking at a fast pace, with luggage etc. I'm always hot and sweating, therefore cold indoors are actually a good thing.

People who usually feel cold should just have a layered clothing concept and bring extra clothes to stay warm. However, not much I can do when the temperature is warm and I'm sweating wearing only a t-shirt... In fact, I found it too warm yesterday at HEL...

Right, I agree, but what is AY to do if there is no facility to procure food and no hotel airside?

The hotel is tricky, but food shouldn't be a problem. They can provide it in their lounges or directly in the terminal. If they can bring food carts from Finnair Kitchen to the planes, why not to the terminal itself?

I thought that if you have not started the trip, you can always ask for a refund in the case that the itinerary is disrupted. But the website seems to imply otherwise - that you can only be rerouted or overnight.

Finnair also has a waiver for flights to/from CN/KR/JP on week 10 (which are not yet officially cancelled).

Or just issue more vouchers... I guess OP could've tried to purchase something and then claim it via CS.

Awful for your wife, hope she made it to the UK. Looks like I’ll be in a similar position in a couple of weeks if the extended routing continues, fortunately though as a UK citizen I’d be able to enter Finland and go to a hotel. Does anyone have any recent experience of what Finnair are offering?

Awful and sorryful experience, but maybe just a nocando situation due to border control clumsiness.

It is ages but previously missing connections AY provided local hotels, bisnes/platinum getting better ones, usually Hilton. But all of them outside airport anyway.

The vouchers don't help much if everything at the airport is closed. OP's wife was only able to stay on the non-Schengen side.

Which european transit airports have non-schengen hotel open at the moment? Helsinki is risky transit for those who cannot enter EU but don't think there's too many options elsewhere.

All in all, I think airside hotels are rather rare in these parts of the world. FRA has IIRC, but that is the only one that comes to my mind.

AY has to provide accommodation. However, if she wants to have that accommodation outside the airport terminal, then she needs to have the correct visa. Without a visa, AY is only able to provide whatever is available in the terminal which could be just a blanket. AY has to offer food and I assume that it wouldn't be impossible for AY to bring food airside if the restaurants are closed.

Do you need a visa to enter Finland? If so, try to get a transit visa as soon as possible so that you can stay in a hotel. Also pay attention to covid-19 entry restrictions.

Doesn't SVO offer something airside, at least for irrops? Of course there are no flights between SVO and most of Europe for the moment.

AMS has an air-side hotel, which I believe is accessible from non-Schengen (never tried). Though I don't know if it's open in Covid times.