New Routes of the Day (23 October 2021): Finnair between Stockholm ARN and various

Finnair has commenced its long-haul operations from Stockholm ARN using A350-900s. The first route to start on 22 October was to Bangkok in Thailand. This was followed on 23 October by Miami with Phuket in Thailand launching on 24 October. Weekly frequencies are quite low to start with but are set to grow during the winter season. Thai Airways competes on the two Thai routes, while SAS is planning to resume its own service to Miami from 8 November. Additional routes to Los Angeles and New York JFK are set to be launched by Finnair before the end of the year, by which time the oneworld carrier will be basing three A350-900s at the Swedish hub.

It is worth noting that before Norwegian gave up its long-haul operations, it used to operate from Stockholm ARN to Bangkok, Fort Lauderdale (not too far from Miami), Los Angeles and New York JFK.

What they said

Elizabeth Axtelius, Director Aviation Business at Swedavia, said: “It is with great joy that we welcome Finnair’s expansion in the Swedish market. The three long-haul destinations and the improved access are important additions to Arlanda’s existing range of flights on offer. The expansion is a sign of an aviation market undergoing change. The fact that airlines dare to invest after these difficult times is clear evidence of Stockholm’s strong position and an investment in the biggest market in Scandinavia. Finnair is already one of our biggest customers today, and we look forward to developing our partnership going forward.”

Ole Orvér, CCO at Finnair, said: “We are happy to meet the Swedes’ longing for travelling with direct flights from Arlanda to Bangkok, Phuket and Miami. These are some of the most popular winter destinations for Swedes. We know that many people now plan their winter trips as the world opens up and we look forward to welcoming them on board our Airbus A350.”