Finnair announces re-opening of Helsinki Schengen lounge, onboard service changes and launch of passenger “ Clean Kit ” as part of ongoing ramp-up measures

During the spring, Finnair has made numerous changes to its services at the airport to support the health of customers and employees at the airport and onboard. As air traffic gradually recovers, Finnair will increase its service by opening the Finnair Lounge in the Schengen area and expanding the in-flight catering service.

“Travelling can feel different than before, with changes in services and new types of procedures in place, such as the mandatory use of a mask on our flights. However, we are delighted to be able to bring back familiar elements of our valued customer service while still taking good care of the hygiene and safety of our customers and staff,” says Karim Al-Soufi, Vice President of Customer Experience at Finnair.

Finnair Lounge opens its doors on the Schengen area

Finnair Lounge at Helsinki Airport’s Schengen area opens to customers as of 1 July 2020. The lounge is open from 6 am until 10 am and from 2 pm until 8 pm with a limited selection of Food and Beverages. The lounge services will be operated with reduced capacity and extra cleaning to support high hygiene standards.   Also customers who are going on a non-Schengen flight and are eligible for lounge access may use the lounge in the Schengen area. Finnair’s lounges on the airport’s non-Schengen area will remain closed.

In-flight service will expand in July-August

In July-August, in Finland and on the shortest routes in Europe, such as Stockholm’s Arlanda, we serve coffee and tea, juice and water in economy class. On longer European flights we serve also biscuit or a sandwich, depending on the length of the route. On long-haul flights, our service returns closer to normal in both economy and business classes. However, the range of special meals and alcoholic beverages is still limited. More detailed descriptions of the serving can be found here.

New “Clean Kit” for customers 

In addition to stepped-up cleaning measures and regular disinfections onboard aircraft, for added reassurance, Finnair will launch a new “Clean Kit” that will be distributed to all passengers from the beginning of July. The kit contains hand sanitiser, surface wipes, an information leaflet and is packaged within an envelope that acts as a waste container.

The kit has a special sustainable focus and features artwork by Finnish artist Reeta Ek. The paper product has been sourced using sustainable Finnish forestry fibres and the hand sanitiser has been supplied by Kyrö distillery, who is perhaps best known for their award-winning gin. Kyrö pivoted to providing hand sanitiser to the healthcare industry when the pandemic first started.

The wearing of masks by all passengers and crew will continue to be mandatory throughout the entire journey (except when dining). Passengers are asked to prepare enough masks for their journey although a limited supply is available onboard if required in exceptional circumstances. In line with the focus on sustainability, these masks have been sourced and manufactured within Finland.

Temporary reduction in the size of hand luggage 

Finnair temporarily changes the permitted size of hand luggage. The new dimensions of hand luggage are 55x40x23cm (old dimension 56x45x25cm). Economy class tickets include one hand luggage and a small personal item with dimensions of 40x30x15cm. The total weight of hand luggage and personal belongings may not exceed 8 kg. Business class tickets include two hand luggage and one personal item, such as a handbag, with a total weight of up to 10 kg.