Finnair to offer free Wi-Fi access in business class next May

Finland’s national carrier Finnair has announced it is actively considering launching Wi-Fi service on board its entire long-haul fleet starting from May 2017 onwards. The airline has already started offering Wi-Fi access to its customers on the new Airbus 350 XWB aircraft in late 2015. The airline said that it would start installing the Wi-Fi technology on its Airbus 330 aircraft in October this year.

Finnair, which is a member of global airline alliance Oneworld, said that it would be installing Wi-Fi on most of its short-haul and long-haul fleet by 2018. The airline will be offering Wi-Fi access free of cost to all its customers booking business class tickets for traveling to various destinations on the airline’s extensive network. Apart from business class customers, the free Wi-Fi access can also be availed by the customers holding Finnair Plus Gold and Platinum frequent flyer membership, and also by Oneworld Sapphire and Emerald cardholders. However, the customers traveling in Economy Class would be required to purchase Wi-Fi access for the duration of their flight.

Piia Karhu, Finnair’s Senior Vice President of Customer Experience Development, said, “The company is delighted to announce that our customers would start enjoying Wi-Fi access onboard the long-haul fleet. Apart from Wi-Fi access, the customers would be able to take advantage of a wide range of inflight entertainment offerings, real-time news content, shopping opportunities, and many other additional services through Finnair’s Nordic Sky portal free of charge.”

Meanwhile, in yet another development Finnair announced it will be launching its new flights services between Helsinki and London Heathrow starting from October 2016. The airline will be offering five times flights services every week with the help of its Airbus 350 aircrafts.

Finnair is currently operating four times flights services per week between London Heathrow and Helsinki with its new Airbus 350 aircraft. The airline has now decided to expand the service on the route with an additional service after getting the delivery of more A350s. The flights are being operated on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. The airline will start operating the fifth service on Wednesdays starting from October 5 this year.