Review of Finnair flight Helsinki → Paris in Business

Airline Finnair
Flight AY 871
Class Business
Seat 7A
Aircraft Airbus A350-900
Flight time 03:05
Take-off 31 Oct 15, 07:35
Arrival at 31 Oct 15, 09:40
AY   #32 out of 94 Airlines A minimum of 10 flight-reports within the past two years is required to appear in the rankings. 206 reviews
SKYTEAMCHC
By GOLD 3798
Published on 8th November 2015
Since the A350 is a quite new aircraft and this flight was special, I have decided to translate my report initially written in French to share it with the english readers of Flight report.

After a short night at the Airport Hilton and a 5 minutes walk to the terminal, I am ready for my first flight on board an Airbus A 350. It will be the first and only time Finnair will fly this aircraft to Paris so you can guess that I am very exited about it.

I already have printed by boarding pass so I don't need to stop at the counters or the machine. A display is promoting the brand new A 350.
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A large old fashioned flight display screen is placed over the security area. I pass through the priority security checks in less than 2 minutes.
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I head towards the European and domestic flights lounge which is located on the top of this staircase.
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I am welcomed by a smiling staff member. There are not yet too many people so I take this opportunity to go around the lounge and take pictures. It's not very big but divided in several zones with different settings ( work, relax etc.). It's typical nordic design and I like it.



There is all you need for breakfast both hot and cold choices.
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With a warm coffee in a typical Marimekko mug and my plate filled with breakfast my day can really start !
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For those who want Italian Proseco is already on offer.
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Free wifi is available and iI check flight-report. What else ?
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It's soon time to head to the gate
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Boarding is under way but I take some time to admire the aircraft.
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The Airbus 350 easily recognizable with it's typical mask on the cockpit windows.
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Flight attendants greet warmly passengers at the door and wear a hat that reminds me of vintage hostesses uniforms.
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I turn left to my seat in 7A. A blue mood lighting gives a nice touch to the cabin.
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I will show you my seat and surroundings later on but for now take you on a tour around this brand new aircraft.

The first business and second class cabins are separated by a galley that is elegantly hidden by a decorated blind.
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The second cabin is smaller than the first.
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Then is the economy class (quite full on this flight) in a 3X3X3 layout.
The first rows are for economy plus passengers and a better legroom as well a comfort kit are available for it's passengers.

The individual in flight entertainment screen is large and modern.
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At the very rear of the plane is a huge galley and another one is located just behind the cockpit door.
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When I go back to my seat a very nice flight attendant offers me a pre departure drink. I must say that during the flight the cabin crew was really great.
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I choose an orange juice : Champagne will be for breakfast !
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A welcome message is displayed on the big and high definition screens.
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I select my langage among a wide choice and set my screen on the aircraft camera.
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The day breaks up and no doubt we are in Helsinki , home of Finnair.
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A security video is show while flight attendants point the exits.
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We are now on our way to the runway.
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Take off !
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Bye bye Helsinki
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The mood lightning is now brighter but yet soft , perfect for the time of the day.
This Cirus seat is very comfortable and can be converted to a full flight bed by pressing a button.
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The central seat are set 2 by 2 and perfect for couples, friends or colleagues travelling together.
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A little set up is done to show the amenities offered on long haul service.The colors complement well the neutral cabin and are very nice.
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Bathrooms are well decorated and one is dedicated for women.
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The chief purser and a flight attendant take the pose and confirm that they love working on this spanking new aircraft.
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I have not eaten for at least an hour so it's now time for breakfast !
It consists of a warm salmon omelet with side spinach and a potatoe cake with cream : delicious ! A croisant, bread and a very good blueberry cake as well as a blueberry yogourt are also offered. For drinks I have another Orange juice and a Mimosa with Nicolas Feuillate Champagne . Hey it's Saturday and I am flying my first A 350. ;-)

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Free wifi is available for business class passengers ( 15 euros in coach) and I take this opportunity to tweet in flight.

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A very large window allows me to have a great view of Europe as we go down south.
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On long haul flight a Bose headset is available . it's very good and keeps you from any conversations or noise in the cabin.
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It's already time to land in CDG where a surprise is awaiting us. Fire trucks are ready to give us a water salute. My first from the inside of a plane.
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A second good surprise is that we will be deplaning by stairs : a greta opportunity to see the aircraft and of course take more pictures.


Once in the terminal, where many passengers are taking pictures, I say goodbye to this beautiful aircraft
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Thanks for reading me
See more

Verdict

Finnair

9.1/10
Cabin8.5
Cabin crew10.0
Entertainment/wifi9.5
Meal/catering8.5

Finnair Shengen Lounge

7.2/10
Comfort7.0
Meal/catering7.0
Entertainment/wifi8.0
Services7.0

Helsinki - HEL

8.6/10
Efficiency8.0
Access10.0
Services8.0
Cleanliness8.5

Paris - CDG

7.8/10
Efficiency7.0
Access8.0
Services8.0
Cleanliness8.0

Conclusion

I loved flyig the Airbus A350 and Finanir had done a great job with it's new cabin that is comfortable and looks very fresh. i would not mind flying them on a long haul route to Asia!

Information on the route Helsinki (HEL) → Paris (CDG)

Les contributeurs de Flight-Report ont posté 41 avis concernant 4 compagnies sur la ligne Helsinki (HEL) → Paris (CDG).

Useful

La compagnie qui obtient la meilleure moyenne est Air France avec 7.5/10.

La durée moyenne des vols est de 3 heures et 6 minutes.

  More information

6 Comments

If you liked this review or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to post a comment below !
  • Comment 150229 by
    KévinDC TEAM SILVER 6741 Comments
    Thanks for this beautiful report on a beautiful bird! I like the look of the lounge; I generally like the nordic interior design look. Are there not any windows in the lounge or does it just look like it has no windows because it was dark out in the early morning hours? I really love the look of the cabin. It's very simple, with all that white, but the design reminds me of ice and snow. I imagine that this was done intentionally. It literally looks cool...very nice! The breakfast looks quite nice for an intra-European flight. I also find Finnair's crew uniforms to be very stylish. Now that I've switched over to oneworld, I hope to have an opportunity to fly up front on the Finnair A350 at some point! I wasn't a fan of the new Finnair livery when it first came out, as I felt it looked too plain and boring, but it looks nice on the A350 and goes with that white, snowy and icy feel of the rest of the branding. Thanks so much for sharing this nice report!
    • Comment 328308 by
      SKYTEAMCHC GOLD AUTHOR 10143 Comments
      Thanks for your comment Kevin. In fact the lounge as large windows with outside views but it was still dark outside !
      Yes Finnair seems like a good airline and I hope that you will have the opportunity to fly them soon.
  • Comment 150244 by
    jetsetpanda 2283 Comments
    Thank you Christophe for sharing this fantastic exclusive on the new A359. I will be joining the ranks of those who have flown this bird on an intra-European flight (LHR-HEL) next week if everything goes according to plans. I am debating whether I should add one more report to the many that are already published here. ;)

    Since AY is still promoting this aircraft on its European tours, one can expect an enthusiastic and great crew onboard. I noticed that breakfast flights don't have a printed menu. Are menus only handed out for lunch/dinner flights within Europe? It seems that way from the FR's that I have seen.

    The cabin looks wonderful and relaxing. I love the minimalist and clean Nordic look in everything from the lounge to the plane. The Marimekko partnership is a brilliant idea that adds a Finnish touch to the airline and gives it a distinctive character. I find the chinaware unique and very special in a funky way - a welcoming sight from other airlines' plain boring white dining ware. One thing that surprises me about AY is that there is no choice for meals, which is limiting for J class. After all, aren't choices one of the luxuries that one pays for sitting in the front?
    • Comment 328309 by
      SKYTEAMCHC GOLD AUTHOR 10143 Comments
      Thanks for your comments Jetsetpanda. For some reason, there is no menu for breakfast and no choice but you have a printed menu and choice for lunch and dinner.I agree with you on the relaxing cabin and special chinaware that set Finnair apart from many airlines.
  • Comment 150288 by
    Jetset 52 Comments
    Nice to share your flight experience! Fantastic pictures!

    On the picture of security control which waiting time are the screens indicating (2 min and 0 min)?
    It's really interesting how much attention this single aircraft gives Finnair. People absolutely love their Nordic design. Probably because it looks so sterile and is a good change to others airlines grimy interiors.
  • Comment 414738 by
    manuel.ariola 38 Comments
    Beautiful report. :)

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