Celebrating 70 years of connecting London and Helsinki, Finnair has marked a significant milestone in its history this September.

On Sunday, 1st September, Finnair commemorated seven decades since launching its London-Helsinki route in 1954.

Originally, the route connected London and Helsinki via Düsseldorf and Copenhagen, with a total journey time of around eight hours. At that time, the flight operated three times per week, and a return ticket cost £67.50, the equivalent of approximately £1,900 today.

Fast forward 70 years, and Finnair is preparing to increase its frequency from four to six daily flights between London Heathrow and Helsinki, with return tickets starting from as little as £160.

Despite all the changes over the years, one thing has remained constant: the importance of London in Finnair’s route network and the significance of the UK market for the airline.

Today, around 2,000 passengers daily either start their journey from London, connect at Heathrow, or return to the UK from global destinations with Finnair.

For the upcoming winter season, Finnair is also reinstating its Manchester route to its full capacity, with double daily departures. Additionally, the Edinburgh-Helsinki route will operate seven times a week, with double daily flights on Thursdays and no flights on Saturdays.

Anssi Partanen, UK, Ireland and Benelux Market Director of Finnair said,

I am proud to be able to celebrate the long history of our London route.

You might remember that the direct Manchester-Helsinki flights turned 30 last spring and Finnair celebrated its centenary late last year – so there really is a lot to be proud of!

Paul Baker, Sales Director at Global Travel Management, commented,

Finnair’s increased frequency on the London-Helsinki route offers even greater convenience and flexibility for UK-based business travellers. With more daily departures, business travellers can better tailor their travel plans to meet their specific needs, whether they are attending meetings, conferences, or visiting clients.

For more information on how these changes could benefit your business travel plans, please contact your Global Travel Management Account Manager.

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