Finnair to KL

[Seng Lim 0]

Finnair To Fly To KLIA From May 21 Next Year

September 25, 2006 14:17 PM

 

STOCKHOLM, Sept 25 (Bernama) -- Finnair, the flag carrier of Finland, would be flying direct from Helsinki to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) beginning May 21 next year, making it the first airline from the Scandinavian countries to do so, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said.

 

Finnair would be flying three times a week to KLIA with the option of increasing its frequencies should there be good demand for the route in future, he said.

 

"Right now, we have a pact with Finland under the Air Services Agreement (ASA) signed between Malaysia and Finland in 1997 whereby Finnair would be able to increase their frequencies up to seven flights a week or have daily flights."

 

Chan said this to Malaysian journalists after his meeting with the president and chief operating officer of Finnair, Jukka Hienonen in Helsinki last week.

 

During the meeting, Chan gave an assurance to Hienonen that the Malaysian government together with the civil aviation authority and Malaysia Airlines (MAS), who is their ground handling agent in KLIA -- would give their support to Finnair.

 

"This is a major breakthrough (in having a Scandinavian airlines ) flying to KLIA," he said.

 

With Finnair, the number of foreign airlines flying to KLIA will increase. Currently there are 50 foreign airlines flying to KLIA.

 

Chan was in Finland for a two-day official visit beginning Sept 21 where he held discussions with Finland's Vice-Minister for Transport, Harri Pursiainen.

 

During the meeting, both sides agreed to explore the possibility of having an open sky agreement between them.

 

Malaysia already has numerous open sky agreements with several countries such as the United States, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Morocco and Sweden.

 

"I don't see any reason why we cannot have an open sky agreement (with Finland). We also agreed that officials from both ministries of transport would find a date to discuss details of the agreement," he said.

 

Finnair's decision to fly to KLIA comes hot on the heels of Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB)'s success in persuading two international airlines -- Kuwait Airlines and Cebu Pacific -- to fly into KLIA by November this year.

 

MAHB manages 39 airports in the country.

 

MAB is also holding discussions with at least with three new airlines -- Ethihad Airlines, Shanghai Airlines and Hainan Airlines -- to fly into KLIA next year.

 

"Although this year may see only two new carriers flying into KLIA, last year seven airlines made their way to KLIA," Chans said.

 

They include India's Jet Airways, the return of Pakistan International Airlines, Thai AirAsia, PT Awair, Thai Sky Airlines, Air Nepal International and Shenzhen Airlines.

 

Last year, KLIA handled 23 million passengers with passenger traffic expected to increase by five per cent this year.

 

-- BERNAMA

[Seth K 3]

Thanx for the update, will try my best to get on the first flight

 

"the return of Pakistan International Airlines"--I like this sentence, sounds like a slogan or movie title

[Andrew Yong 0]

Great news!!! That mean more Airlines will reach KLIA I also read the news Aeroflot from Russia also will be in KLIA !!!

[Seng Lim 0]

3 flights per week is via Bangkok, thus we have the options to fly both short haul or long haul with Finnair from KUL.

It will be good if they start the service with their MD11, best chance to try out this Trijet before all convert into cargo planes.

[Isaac 0]

Malaysia already has numerous open sky agreements with several countries such as the United States, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Morocco and Sweden.

Hey guys, any idea if the open sky agreements signed between Malaysia and the countries mentioned above are restricted open sky agreements or full one ? Thanks

 

Malaysia should try to land more such agreement in the future. Good for MAS.

Edited September 25, 2006 by Isaac

[Kee Hooi Yen 0]

 

Malaysia already has numerous open sky agreements with several countries such as the United States, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Morocco and Sweden.

 

 

 

And yet, still no US carrier flies to KLIA

 

Anyway, more airlines to KLIA, better for KLIA spotters !

[Seth K 3]

And yet, still no US carrier flies to KLIA

 

Anyway, more airlines to KLIA, better for KLIA spotters !

Wrong, CO did come to BKI on 23rd

The main reasons US airlines don't come to KUL iz because the market here is not big enough(that's like back years ago thou, not sure about now) and widebodies shortage. Open air agreement doesn't make the airlines should fly to the country stc. Plus it's too far from US to SEA, with UA fly to BKK and SIN aka Star Alliance hub is good enough for them to fly pax to final destination with SQ and TG. CO in the other hand fly to Asian destinations thru Guam and Asian hubs. AA codeshare with CX on flights to Malaysia. Well, not that the US airlines don't fly to KUL, it just they use other metals, and KUL status doesn't good enough to convince the CEO'S that they can make money flying in and out her, even Austrian stop flying to SYD and KUL and SIN because high cost, not beacuase of low loads. Is the US airlines will get full rights when flying to KUL anyway?????

[Seng Lim 0]

Northwest used to fly their DC10-30 to KUL in 1996/97 if I do not mistaken.

 

[Sandeep G 1]

Wrong, CO did come to BKI on 23rd

The main reasons US airlines don't come to KUL iz because the market here is not big enough(that's like back years ago thou, not sure about now) and widebodies shortage. Open air agreement doesn't make the airlines should fly to the country stc. Plus it's too far from US to SEA, with UA fly to BKK and SIN aka Star Alliance hub is good enough for them to fly pax to final destination with SQ and TG. CO in the other hand fly to Asian destinations thru Guam and Asian hubs. AA codeshare with CX on flights to Malaysia. Well, not that the US airlines don't fly to KUL, it just they use other metals, and KUL status doesn't good enough to convince the CEO'S that they can make money flying in and out her, even Austrian stop flying to SYD and KUL and SIN because high cost, not beacuase of low loads. Is the US airlines will get full rights when flying to KUL anyway?????

 

High end traffic is not too high and leisure traffic is only "ok".. the biggest dampener on US airlines commencing services to KUL (or any airline for that matter) is that of "Yield". Definately not to say that the market here is "not big enough".. there is definately a large market here. Think of the amount of trading Malaysia does with the USA.. in fact, they are our second largest trading partner (1st being Singapore).. so saying there is no market is not entirely accurate. There is little "yield" nowadays, and with oil prices and alliances creeping up and popping up, it makes commercial sense to have hub and spoke travel.. Plus, you will find that most high end business travellers when they come from the US or Europe to this part of the world, travel within the region when they come here. So flying into Singapore from the USA, and then branching out from Singapore to KL, Bangkok, Jakarta, Hong Kong even... So they only really need one access point... At the moment, Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong have greater regional connectivity than KLIA.. so they win the market share from the US.. i.e. They command higher yields!

 

KLIA needs to focus on improving regional connectivity first and then looking beyond that. And yes, MAS joining an Alliance, would surely help!!! CO/NW and KL/AF would then be motivated to use KL as a hub, but it depends on MAS' regional connectivity. High frequency, good schedules, efficiency.. CLEAN, SAFE and RELIABLE! - I'm sure you've heard those words, Seth K, being a big Continental Fan

 

Back to the topic, Finnair is mainly focussed on Leisure market travellers... There are increasing number of scandanavian tourists coming to Malaysia, Thailand.. esp Thailand... Business travellers will probably benefit from some nice pricing. I hope they are successful.

[Seng Lim 0]

Finnair & MAS To Discuss Code Sharing Possibilities

September 28, 2006 16:44 PM

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 (Bernama) -- Officials from Finland's Finnair and Malaysia Airlines (MAS) are expected to meet up soon to discuss possible collaboration, among which, could be in code sharing.

 

Such collaboration could be a boost for MAS, which is in the process of cutting some of its non-profitable European routes.

 

"We heard MAS was removing some routes, including to Stockholm. We plan to collaborate with MAS and I would be glad to talk to MAS to look at where we can cooperate," Finnair's area vice-president, Europe, Asia and the Americas commercial division, Hannu Sundberg, said.

 

"We will be approaching them as soon as possible," he said.

 

Finnair and MAS need to look into the common grounds before making a decision, he told reporters after the signing of an agreement with Aviation Service here, Thursday.

 

Also present was Finland's ambassador to Malaysia, Lauri Korpinen.

 

Sundberg said Finland could be a gateway for travellers from Malaysia to the Scandinavian countries and other parts of Europe.

 

Finnair, one of the world's oldest operating airline, would start a three-times a week flight from Helsinki via Bangkok to the KL International Airport and vice versa from May 21, 2007.

 

"This route is expected to be a success from day one," he said.

 

The flights will be on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

 

"We would like to develop this route to be daily as soon as possible and as soon as our capacity allows.

 

"We did an analysis of this and with our success in Bangkok, we see no problem in selling Malaysia as a destination for the Scandinavians, Finns and northern Europeans in general.

 

"Finnair now has traffic rights between Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur and the airline wants to take advantage of this," Sundberg said.

 

Previously, Finnair was only operating charter flights to Malaysia, specifically to Langkawi during the winter season in Finland, he added.

 

"The demand for Asian destinations is growing in both directions and we have excellent connections to and from Europe. It is our goal to open one or two new Asian destinations each year and add frequencies to our current network."

 

Asia contributes 25 to 30 per cent of Finnair's revenue.

[Isaac 0]

Northwest used to fly their DC10-30 to KUL in 1996/97 if I do not mistaken.

NW first launched the KUL flight from US in the 80s but the route didn't survive for long. Then NW re-launched the KUL flight again in the late 90s, this time via KIX using D10. NW ceased flying to KUL again not long after the 11/9 attack.

 

[Pieter C. 5]

Sundberg said Finland could be a gateway for travellers from Malaysia to the Scandinavian countries and other parts of Europe.

 

AFAIK MH now has code-share on KL for Scandinavian flights !

Is he trying to woo MH into the Oneworld alliance ? Don't think CX would be supportive of that

[Izanee 0]

NW started flights to KUL in the 80s - but withdrew as MH were accused of 'fare dumping'. There was bad blood between MH and NW so they decided to withdraw from KUL.

They restarted their thrice weekly DC-10-30 flights (NW70) from KUL-KIX-DTW (KIX-DTW was with 744) in 1999. They suspended their services after 9/11 and never restarted.

What a shame.

I wish that they started flights to KUL via NRT which would probably have helped a lot more with loads/yields and whatever buzz words you guys like to use nowadays!

Edited September 28, 2006 by Izanee

[Keith T 2]

Is he trying to woo MH into the Oneworld alliance ? Don't think CX would be supportive of that

 

Now that would be an interesting development! Would definitely tempt me back to oneworld, only crappy thing is doing FFP migration again like when I moved from oneworld (AA) to *A (Miles and More). Very cheap MH fares out of MEL though.

Unfortunately I don't think QF/BA will approve either.

Edited September 29, 2006 by Keith T

[kandiah k 0]

Seems like FINNAIR is pretty confident about making it big here in KUL which is good.

I guess it is also an option for pax to travel the US-Malaysia route via Helsinki on AY.

But with AY planning to colaborate with MH, maybe the ARN route withdrawal is a blessing

in favour of such an agreement. But Mh in OW ? I don't think so !!!!!

 

 

[Seth K 3]

BOOKED

 

Flight 4

Tue, Jul 3 Finnair 94

Depart: 10:05pm Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (KUL)

Arrive: 11:10pm Bangkok, Thailand (BKK)

 

1 stop Economy 2hr 5min Boeing Douglas MD-11

 

[Pieter C. 5]

BOOKED

Flight 4

Tue, Jul 3 Finnair 94

 

Congrats: you'll just LOVE the MD11 !

Very powerful, especially when it's not completely full, it climbs like a rocket

 

How will you return ? by Lufthansa ?

[Sing Yew 1]

BOOKED

 

Flight 4

Tue, Jul 3 Finnair 94

Depart: 10:05pm Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (KUL)

Arrive: 11:10pm Bangkok, Thailand (BKK)

 

1 stop Economy 2hr 5min Boeing Douglas MD-11

Where is there a 1 stop ?

 

[Seth K 3]

Congrats: you'll just LOVE the MD11 !

Very powerful, especially when it's not completely full, it climbs like a rocket

 

How will you return ? by Lufthansa ?

It's one way

 

Where is there a 1 stop ?

Should be KUL-BKK-JFK next summer The one stop iz at BKK!!!!!

[Sandeep G 1]

Congrats: you'll just LOVE the MD11 !

Very powerful, especially when it's not completely full, it climbs like a rocket

 

How will you return ? by Lufthansa ?

 

Ae they definately using the MD-11 to KUL? heard it might be a A340...

[Sandeep G 1]

From CAPA daily industry news:

 

Finnair confirmed it is interested in acquiring the longhaul unit of SAS to expand its presence in Asia, but not invest directly in the carrier (Reuters, 15-Oct-06).

 

Finnair: "We would be interested in SAS's long-haul traffic, if it was for sale. It is their business unit SAS Intercontinental. We are not interested in a minority stake in SAS Group...If the Swedish Government is serious about selling off state-owned listed firms, we are clearly interested," Christer Haglund, Spokesman. Source: Reuters, 15-Oct-06.

[Pieter C. 5]

Finnair is having some problems:

 

"Finnair said it is preparing for an illegal strike by members of the SLSY flight attendants union scheduled to begin early Thursday morning (18oct2006). The airline said the resulting flight cancellations could cost it €2.5 million ($3.1 million) per day. The news came after Finnair announced it would recruit 500 cabin attendants by next fall to its Aero subsidiary under the national collective agreement. The hires are necessary to handle growing Asia-Europe traffic.

 

"The salary level of Finnair flight attendants is about 30% higher than that of the national collective agreement. This situation is unbearable for the company. Due to the decrease in ticket prices, the increase of costs and the tough competitive situation, Finnair does not have the means to employ new cabin personnel at higher salary rates than our competitors which already apply the national collective agreement," Senior VP-Leisure and Travel Services Kaisa Vikkula said. The airline has been negotiating the recruitment since May. SLSY yesterday rejected a "proposal for a solution to a question regarding the cabin attendants' collective labor agreement" and the company said that decision made the recruitment necessary "in order to ensure its traffic operations."

 

Note: Aero is formally an Estonian company with lower wages

[Pieter C. 5]

No flights to Asia (and other longhaul destinations), unless strike is called off :

 

Finnair said yesterday that it will be able to operate some domestic and European scheduled flights should a strike planned by the Finnish flight attendants union begin this morning. The flights would run on irregular schedules. An MD-11 would be operated to London Heathrow and Paris Charles de Gaulle and smaller aircraft to Brussels, Stockholm Arlanda and Tallinn. No long-haul flights will be operated except for a cargo service to Beijing. Domestic destinations will include at least Oulu, Kuopio and Tampere. If the strike threat is cancelled, flights will run normally today.

 

Would have been nice to see the 3-holer MD11 at AMS, however, both 320 flights have been cancelled today

 

[kandiah k 0]

I hope there aren't these sort of issues when they begin flying into KUL next May.

 

 

[Pieter C. 5]

I hope there aren't these sort of issues when they begin flying into KUL next May.

 

It's really surprising me, Kandiah, for AY and Finland, as a whole, are not prone to be 'strike related' unlike Italy or France