FINNAIR Business Class

[neilri2001 42]

Do any members have any first hand experience of Finnair business class? Online reviews are mixed and a friend had a fairly poor experience in economy. Flights from the UK to BKK in September are showing at about £1400 on Finnair which is about £700 cheaper than Thai / EVA and over £1000 cheaper than BA.

 

Thanks

 

Neil

[short 215]

www.seatguru.com

[jacko 8,578]

I looked at them once as an option and was put off by the connecting flight (Manchester to Helsinki) being operated by Fly(may)be, and the return time from Bangkok, early morning departure and late afternoon (rush hour) arrival.

[Fatboyfat 361]

Finnair are a bit hit and miss really, and if you are only saving a small amount, not worth bothering with. Complaints about connections, delays, service and even "ugly stroppy old" stewardesses used to abound. I would imagine they have changed their seat design nowadays (google will always come up with images or videos) but when I used them last I would liken it more to a "premium economy" model, and the initial leg would just be an economy seat with nobody sitting next to you (if you were lucky). I always put them in the "1 step up from Aeroflot" bracket.

[neilri2001 42]

Thanks for the replies gents. Someone messaged me privately to say that Helsinki to Bangkok leg is fine but that Manchester or London to Helsinki is still all 3x3 economy seating with the middle seat left empty in " business " class. As someone who prefers a wider seat and bigger pitch over in flight service this would be a bit of a deal breaker for me.

[Fatboyfat 361]

Favourite for the "Fat-bottomed Guys" to make the rockin world go round is Singapore in Biz (however price is big too). Of the airlines where you could get a good deal in biz; beware of Emirates using the big 380 Airbus. Their seat, although good for pitch is only 18 inches wide ; piss poor really! Short (remarkably!) gave good advice earlier wrt Seatguru; check their "comparison" tab.

[jacko 8,578]

Favourite for the "Fat-bottomed Guys" to make the rockin world go round is Singapore in Biz (however price is big too). Of the airlines where you could get a good deal in biz; beware of Emirates using the big 380 Airbus. Their seat, although good for pitch is only 18 inches wide ; piss poor really! Short (remarkably!) gave good advice earlier wrt Seatguru; check their "comparison" tab.

If you can afford Singapore Business Class, you can probably afford to go First on Emirates!

 

But back to your point, you don't rate the A380 Emirates Biz Class......(I am thinking to use it soon)?

[Fatboyfat 361]

If you can afford Singapore Business Class, you can probably afford to go First on Emirates!

 

But back to your point, you don't rate the A380 Emirates Biz Class......(I am thinking to use it soon)?

 

Quite so wrt 1st Class (I have 3 flights with them in the pipe 1st class at the moment myself) and a few other airlines come into that bracket too. Cathay can be relatively reasonable and have a brilliant 1st product (just it seems a very indirect way of getting there and London is unavoidable)

The Emirates problem is purely on width of seat and only on the 380; the 777ER has a wider product. I was OK in the seat ( I actually bear no resemblance to the nicname ) but did feel a bit restricted.. . If you are OK in say a Thai economy seat, the Emirates product will be fine.

[jacko 8,578]

Quite so wrt 1st Class (I have 3 flights with them in the pipe 1st class at the moment myself) and a few other airlines come into that bracket too. Cathay can be relatively reasonable and have a brilliant 1st product (just it seems a very indirect way of getting there and London is unavoidable)

The Emirates problem is purely on width of seat and only on the 380; the 777ER has a wider product. I was OK in the seat ( I actually bear no resemblance to the nicname ) but did feel a bit restricted.. . If you are OK in say a Thai economy seat, the Emirates product will be fine.

It seems odd to be comparing an Emirates Biz Class to Thai (built for little people) Economy class seat.......I would expect far superior!

I won't be going via London though....... particularly if it involves another change in HK!

When BA change the BKK flights to T5 maybe Biz with them will be tolerable.

 

Maybe not.......

[Nightrider 340]

When BA change the BKK flights to T5 maybe Biz with them will be tolerable.

 

Maybe not.......

 

Yes and they may increase the ticket price Jacko because they know of the easier connections that can be made from T5......!

[jacko 8,578]

Yes and they may increase the ticket price Jacko because they know of the easier connections that can be made from T5......!

It is tempting to do the one-long-hop though.

I go via the Middle east and the transits are the worst part of the flight.

Walking miles, security and crowds, all done while feeling groggy and half asleep.

[sambo 0]

Helsinki airport is a small one and easy to transfer at.

 

The flight from Helsinki to Bangkok will be real nice business class on a new airbus 340, service will be ok but you can get a nites sleep on it.

[dennismoore 8]

Helsinki airport is a small one and easy to transfer at.

 

The flight from Helsinki to Bangkok will be real nice business class on a new airbus 340, service will be ok but you can get a nites sleep on it.

 

Finnair use their newest a330-300's on the Bangkok route now. I don't know how the seats in Business are on these planes.

[jballstate 326]

I have found some good bargins on Finnair from the US to BKK but they have one hell of a layover in Finland to the extent of 15 - 18 hours. That takes them out of the game for me.

[jacko 8,578]

I have found some good bargins on Finnair from the US to BKK but they have one hell of a layover in Finland to the extent of 15 - 18 hours. That takes them out of the game for me.

Going the 'long way' around I bet that makes it quite a long overall journey.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

Going the 'long way' around I bet that makes it quite a long overall journey.

 

I think the overall flight times from the east coast on the likes of Qatar aren't much different from, for example EVA. And they're competitively priced at less than USD 1,200.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 24, 2013 by CheshireTom

[PigBoy#1 28]

The problem I have flying over the Atlantic is that I don't get the lost day, traveling to BKK, back. For example I leave Bangkok at 5 PM on Sunday afternoon and when I get off of the plane it is 8 PM on Sunday evening.

Edited August 24, 2013 by PigBoy#1