Finnair has outlined plans to increase connectivity to Japan during the northern summer 2024 season, including returning to Nagoya after a hiatus of four years.
The Oneworld alliance member, which celebrated its 100th anniversary on Nov. 1, will connect its Helsinki Airport (HEL) hub with Nagoya’s Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO) from May 30, 2024. Flights will be offered twice a week.
Prior to the COVID-19 crisis, Finnair had built its business model around connecting Europe and Asia, capitalizing on its advantageous geographic location in Helsinki and the shorter northern route over Russia.
However, in response to pandemic-related travel restrictions and the subsequent closure of Russian airspace due to the invasion of Ukraine, the airline had to adapt its strategy to address the challenges in rebuilding its Asian network. To overcome these constraints, Finnair has actively pursued new markets, strengthened partnerships with other airlines and introduced routes over the North Pole.
The relaunch of the Nagoya route marks a significant step in the carrier’s recovery of its Asia network, as it will now serve four destinations in Japan during the summer of 2024. In addition to Nagoya, Finnair will operate flights to Osaka Kansai International Airport (KIX), Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND) and Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT).
According to data from OAG Schedules Analyser, Finnair will next summer increase its flight frequencies to KIX from three to five flights per week compared to the summer 2023 schedule, while service to NRT will rise from four to six weekly flights. These additions complement the existing daily service to HND.
The move will see Finnair offer 20 roundtrips per week to and from Japan next summer, compared with 14 in the summer just gone. However, the figure remains down on the 34X-weekly frequencies provided during summer 2019 when Finnair served NRT twice a day; KIX 10X-weekly; NGO daily; and Fukuoka three times per week.
At this time in 2019, Finnair was the fifth-largest provider of nonstop capacity between Europe and Japan, offering 12,669 two-way weekly seats. As of the week commencing Nov. 6, 2023, the airline still maintains its position as the fifth-largest provider, with 9,078 two-way weekly seats.
Alongside the planned Japanese expansion, Finnair has announced proposed changes to its network for the winter 2024-25 season. From next October, the airline will begin scheduled flights to three of its former charter destinations. There will be 2X-weekly frequencies to Faro in Portugal, as well as Lanzarote and Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands.
Finnair will also add more flights to the UK and Ireland from October 2024. Service from HEL to Manchester, England, will rise to double-daily, up from 9X-weekly this winter; Edinburgh, Scotland, will grow from four to six times per week; and Dublin will expand from eight to 10X-weekly.
Elsewhere, the carrier will boost capacity to Gran Canaria, Spain, next winter by using Airbus A350s instead of A321s, while operations to Reykjavik, Iceland, will grow to daily from 4X-weekly.
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