Finnair to fly brand new aircraft to Asia
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Finnair has confirmed plans to deploy its brand new long-haul aircraft, the Airbus A350, to several destinations in Asia.
The Helsinki-based airline will start taking delivery of its A350s later this year, and will progressively launch them on routes to Shanghai, Beijing, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Singapore. Tickets for the A350 flights went on sale this week.
“We are thrilled to reach this important milestone as we gear up for a seamless transition to A350 operations,” said Finnair’s CEO, Pekka Vauramo.
“Our A350 investment programme is the largest in the company’s 92-year history, and these aircraft will form the backbone of our long-haul operations for years to come while also playing an essential role in our sustainable, long-term profitability. I can truly speak for all employees when I say we cannot wait to welcome passengers on board.”
Shanghai will become the first Asian city to welcome Finnair’s A350s on 25 October 2015. The new aircraft will then be deployed to Beijing from 21 November, Bangkok from 4 December, Hong Kong on 1 February 2016 and Singapore from 5 May 2016.
Finnair, which will be the first European airline to operate the A350, will equip the twin-aisle aircraft with 297 seats. Each aircraft will feature 46 flat-bed business class seats in a 1-2-1 layout, and 251 economy class seats in a 3-3-3 configuration. The economy cabin will also include 43 ‘Economy Comfort’ seats which offer extra legroom.
All seats will come equipped with power outlets, USB ports and in-flight entertainment, and the new A350s will also offer in-flight Wi-Fi.
Finnair has 19 A350s on order and expects to receive the first four by the end of 2015. Another seven will be delivered by the end of 2017, with the remaining eight arriving between 2018 and 2023. These new aircraft will replace Finnair’s existing fleet of aging Airbus A340s.
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