Review of Finnair flight Helsinki Copenhagen in Business

Airline Finnair
Flight AY 665
Class Business
Seat 2F
Aircraft Airbus A320
Flight time 01:40
Take-off 19 Nov 15, 12:00
Arrival at 19 Nov 15, 12:40
AY   #32 out of 96 Airlines A minimum of 10 flight-reports within the past two years is required to appear in the rankings. 205 reviews
jetsetpanda
By 2292
Published on 7th December 2015
Hello and welcome to this short connecting flight on AY from HEL-CPH.

Below is my schedule so far:

SFO-LHR on UA Y - http://flight-report.com/en/report-12219.html
LHR-LIS on TP Y - http://flight-report.com/en/report-12240.html
LIS-MAD on IB J - http://flight-report.com/en/report-12281.html
MAD-LHR on IB J - http://flight-report.com/en/report-12318.html
LHR-HEL on AY J - http://flight-report.com/en/report-12341.html
HEL-CPH on AY J - you are here.
CPH-IST on TK J - http://flight-report.com/en/report-12544.html
IST-HKG on TK J - http://flight-report.com/en/report-12641.html
HKG-SFO on CX J - http://flight-report.com/en/report-12980.html


I arrived at the Cumulus Hotel in HEL at around 01:00 and woke up at 06:00 to get ready for my flight to CPH. I paid USD 85 or EUR 77.85 at the last minute which was not too bad and breakfast was included but after a short visit to the restaurant and seeing how crowded it was in the morning, I decided to just go to the airport and eat at the Finnair lounge. The hotel was not luxurious by any means, but it was comfortable and clean with friendly staff.

Room.

photo DSC09624photo DSC09625


I waited outside for a couple of minutes for the free shuttle bus on a wet and cold morning. Finally the bus arrived and I got off at T2 where AY was located.




I tried to use the Priority line for Emerald members but the agent there tried to direct people to the adjacent counter since she was dealing with a passenger with a rather problematic issue. The line for J was getting backed up and at that point I just left and used the check-in kiosk where I reprinted my boarding in less than a minute and proceeded through security in a snap.

photo DSC09636


Once at the other side, I looked for the AY Schengen lounge which was close to gate 22.


I guess AY has a stronghold of the Asian market. Perhaps these routes are their bread and butter.

photo DSC09637


AY Schengen Lounge.

I used the lift located a few steps away from the staircase to access the lounge. Upon presenting my credentials I was welcomed inside and breakfast was on display consisting of scrambled eggs, white bean stew, and berries with yogurt. The eggs did not look appetizing and somewhat overcooked and the beans reminded me of lunch at a local Turkish restaurant.

photo AY lounge Schengen (1)

Reception.

photo AY lounge Schengen (50)


Small area immediately to the right.

photo AY lounge Schengen (48)photo AY lounge Schengen (47)


Buffet area.




Computer terminals. Not much privacy here.

photo AY lounge Schengen (29)


My snack.

photo AY lounge Schengen (39)


Shower.

I took a peek inside one of the showers and the impression that I got was that of being clean and utilitarian - nothing more. There was a basket of toiletries with a berry scent along with towels.




The WC's were around the corner and it was small with two toilets. One of them was filthy and it took a while to clean it up. Not the best maintenance in my opinion.


Around the lounge.




Further inside there were comfy sofas and more private areas.

photo AY lounge Schengen (22)photo AY lounge Schengen (24)photo AY lounge Schengen (43)


After breakfast, the attendants brought out the salad with tuna and fruits.

photo AY lounge Schengen (55)photo AY lounge Schengen (56)


At 45 min. before departure, I exit the lounge and check out the Duty Free shop downstairs. Afterwards I went to the gate.

photo AY 665 HEL-CPH  (1)


Boarding commenced and I was the second person to board the plane. The purser and another FA were postioned at the entrance greeting passengers. I settled into my seat and took a picture of the outside.


photo AY 665 HEL-CPH  (2)


View from my seat.

photo AY 665 HEL-CPH  (3)


When everyone boarded and the door closed, I noticed that the cabin was fairly empty so I moved to seat 3A.


View of my row.

photo AY 665 HEL-CPH  (16)


Cabin shots from my new seat 3A.

photo AY 665 HEL-CPH  (4)photo AY 665 HEL-CPH  (7)photo AY 665 HEL-CPH  (14)

Middle seat blocked in J.

photo AY 665 HEL-CPH  (13)


Taxiing out.

photo AY 665 HEL-CPH  (6)


Take off.




After we leveled off, FAs's started the meal service. No menus were handed out and only 1 choice was available. The meal was some type of chicken in a mustard sweet sauce with mashed sweet potatoes and broccoli. Dessert was a cheap bag of chocolate.

Warm breads offered from a basket.

photo AY 665 HEL-CPH (1)


Meal.

photo AY 665 HEL-CPH (2)photo AY 665 HEL-CPH (3)photo AY 665 HEL-CPH (4)


Once again the crew was very friendly and there were lots of smiles. I finished the meal with a cup of tea.

photo AY 665 HEL-CPH (5)


The flight was short and soon we arrived in CPH.

photo AY 665 HEL-CPH  (17)photo AY 665 HEL-CPH  (18)


Spotting at CPH while taxiing to the gate.

photo AY 665 HEL-CPH  (19)photo AY 665 HEL-CPH  (20)photo AY 665 HEL-CPH  (22)


Retro SK plane.

photo AY 665 HEL-CPH  (23)
See more

Verdict

Finnair

7.4/10
Cabin9.0
Cabin crew8.0
Entertainment/wifi5.0
Meal/catering7.5

Finnair Shengen Lounge

7.1/10
Comfort7.0
Meal/catering7.0
Entertainment/wifi7.5
Services7.0

Helsinki - HEL

9.1/10
Efficiency9.0
Access9.0
Services9.5
Cleanliness9.0

Copenhagen - CPH

9.0/10
Efficiency9.0
Access9.0
Services9.0
Cleanliness9.0

Conclusion

I enjoyed this short hop from HEL to CPH in an almost empty cabin with only 4 passengers in J including myself.

Having an entire row to stretch out is a luxury these days and this made the flight more comfortable.

Catering was average with only one hot meal and no choice. I was pleasantly surprised since I was expecting a cold light meal and instead was given the above. No printed menus were handed out which is understandable for a flight of this length.

Crew was very friendly and smiling which was a pleasure to deal with.

We arrived 22 minutes earlier at 1218 instead of 1240.

Information on the route Helsinki (HEL) Copenhagen (CPH)

Les contributeurs de Flight-Report ont posté 3 avis concernant 2 compagnies sur la ligne Helsinki (HEL) → Copenhagen (CPH).


Useful

La compagnie qui obtient la meilleure moyenne est Finnair avec 7.3/10.

La durée moyenne des vols est de 1 heures et 40 minutes.

  More information

18 Comments

If you liked this review or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to post a comment below !
  • Comment 152099 by
    fernousdu972 1074 Comments
    Thanks for this report,

    Not much choice at the Finnair Lounge, I've had almost the same snack.

    Nice looking meal for such a short flight.

    Great world tour!

    See you ;)
    • Comment 329933 by
      jetsetpanda AUTHOR 2283 Comments
      Thank you Gilles for passing by.

      For a hub lounge and considering that a lot of their connecting traffic is Asian, AY should have better lounge food. Nevertheless it is a nice place to relax and it never felt crowded when I was there in the morning.

      I was surprised to receive a hot meal on this flight. I expected a cold lunch for such a short route so no complaints (except for the dessert) ;)
  • Comment 152102 by
    SKYTEAMCHC GOLD 10071 Comments
    Thanks for sharing this flight with us. I like the lounge and its design altough I agree the choice of food could be better.
    Finnair does a good job in flight with this hotmeal but desert is a joke , too bad.
    The crews seem very good on most Finnair flights.
    • Comment 329934 by
      jetsetpanda AUTHOR 2283 Comments
      Hi Christophe and thank you for commenting.

      The AY lounge is very Nordic and that is a distinguishing feature that sets if apart from others in a spcial way. We all concur that food can be so much better though.

      AY has very cheap desserts in the front, at least on intra-European routes.

      Inflight crew was always top, but I feel that their reservations staff need to be a bit more polished when dealing with premium passengers. For example, they tend to be friendly in a very casual way or downright indifferent.
  • Comment 152110 by
    Benoit75008 7191 Comments
    Thanks for reporting this flight,

    This lounge is quite comfortable apparently, unfortunately food is not so tasty...
    This warm meal is quite unsual on european flights.

    Enjoy your incredible trip!
  • Comment 152171 by
    NGO85 SILVER 1963 Comments
    I concede to you sir, you won the race to CPH ;)

    The hotel was not luxurious by any means
    - I’m sure you used that fan in the hotel room, must have been really hot in Helsinki.

    I guess AY has a stronghold of the Asian market. Perhaps these routes are their bread and butter.
    - AY comes to NGO :)

    The AY Lounge is a little too white during the day, I like the night time pictures of it better. Very weak food offering (similar to the SK Lounge). Some of the decor is a little over the top (the egg seats), but it overall has a very nice Scandinavian ambiance.

    No LH bag this time? I spot a TK logo! He's getting ready for the next couple of reports already.

    Not sure why they call it a “complimentary seat.” Didn’t you pay for J?

    There is no starter with this meal? It is just an entrée and packaged dessert? Pretty liberal with the sauce on the chicken ;) Mashed sweet potatoes is not a common starch, quite unique.

    Nice shot of the Atlantic Airways A319, first time I've seen this airline before.

    Glad to hear that AY has consistently good service. I wish I had the chance to fly them NGO-HEL-CPH instead of SK, but maybe some other time. Thanks for sharing this lounge report Adan ;)
    • Comment 329938 by
      jetsetpanda AUTHOR 2283 Comments
      I concede to you sir, you won the race to CPH ;)
      - and I humbly accept this honor. ;)

      I’m sure you used that fan in the hotel room, must have been really hot in Helsinki.
      - How do you know? I actually used it to dry some items after I washed them in the sink. :P

      AY comes to NGO :)
      - One point in their favor.

      Very weak food offering (similar to the SK Lounge). Some of the decor is a little over the top (the egg seats), but it overall has a very nice Scandinavian ambiance.
      - Maybe the egg seats are meant to be shared with someone. ;) Interesting that you found the SK food offerings weak. I thought that they were plentiful when I visited the lounge in CPH. Are we talking about the same place? :P

      No LH bag this time? I spot a TK logo! He's getting ready for the next couple of reports already.
      - Out with the old, in with the new, just like one does with some regretful experiences.

      Not sure why they call it a “complimentary seat.” Didn’t you pay for J?
      - I don't think it makes sense to call it complimentary. Complimentary to whom? Perhaps something along the lines of Blocked for your Comfort would have been more suitable.

      There is no starter with this meal? It is just an entrée and packaged dessert? Pretty liberal with the sauce on the chicken ;) Mashed sweet potatoes is not a common starch, quite unique.
      - Well, to be fair it is a short flight, so I wound't expect much. If anything I was nicely surprised to receive a hot meal. Maybe Scandinavians have a more experimental inclination when it comes to food?

      Nice shot of the Atlantic Airways A319, first time I've seen this airline before.
      - Same here.

      Glad to hear that AY has consistently good service. I wish I had the chance to fly them NGO-HEL-CPH instead of SK, but maybe some other time.
      - Oh I just know it will be an amazing FR.

      Thank you my friend for all your support.
  • Comment 152192 by
    757Fan 632 Comments
    Nice report on Finnair! I'm impressed that Finnair serves a pretty substantial meal on such a short flight from Helsinki to Copenhagen. I didn't expect the galley on the EMB-190 to be able to hold such a big tray, and big bread basket! Very cool.

    The lounge at Helsinki looks very nice. Looks like a great place to relax before a flight!

    Thanks for sharing.
  • Comment 152193 by
    757Fan 632 Comments
    Great report! Thanks for sharing. Looks like Finnair serves a pretty substantial meal on such a short flight between Helsinki and Copenhagen. Impressive!

    The lounge at Vantaa Airport also looks very nice. What a great place to relax before a flight!
  • Comment 152269 by
    Rl 777 802 Comments
    Thank you for sharing another segment of this itinerary!

    The food offering could be better in the lounge but I like the colours used in the lounge, it gives a Nordic/Finnish feel to it.

    The light load surely increased the privacy onboard.

    Too bad there was only one choice onboard, some improvements could be implemented in the presentation department. The fact that you were given a hot meal was nice, a small salad could've complemented the meal though.

    Overall it seems like you had an enjoyable short hop with AY.

    Have a good one, see you!
    • Comment 330116 by
      jetsetpanda AUTHOR 2283 Comments
      Thank you very much for your comments RI777.

      The food offering could be better in the lounge but I like the colours used in the lounge, it gives a Nordic/Finnish feel to it.
      - One of the reasons that make this lounge so unique. The food is not the high point unfortunately and I am still questioning the tuna on top of the salad.

      The fact that you were given a hot meal was nice, a small salad could've complemented the meal though.
      - It was a nice surprise for a short trip. I agree with you that a small salad could have made this a more proper meal presentation. Either that or serve a good sandwich with crisps. I would have been happy with that as well.

      Overall it seems like you had an enjoyable short hop with AY.
      - Finland is a country known for its lakes and it was nice to see a bit of that when taking off from HEL. I bet that during a clear day the sightseeing from above can be spectacular.

      See you later.
  • Comment 152806 by
    lagentsecret 12186 Comments
    Thanks for sharing this FR

    I didn't realize it was published

    The lounge offer is pathetic and to my eyes the beans look (unfortunately) more British than Turkish

    Middle seat blocked in J.
    :(

    It looks like a domestic US first class meal

    Even for a short hop I wouldn't choose a Nordic airline in case of another choice

    See you soon
    • Comment 330575 by
      jetsetpanda AUTHOR 2283 Comments
      The lounge offer is pathetic and to my eyes the beans look (unfortunately) more British than Turkish
      - I agree with you on the first item. On the beans, they are more Turkish in my opinion. The beans were not as sweet as those typically found at an English breakfast. They were also bigger and broader which reminded me of those that I sampled in IST.

      It looks like a domestic US first class meal
      - Where is the salad? :P

      Even for a short hop I wouldn't choose a Nordic airline in case of another choice
      - I don't think that there are other options if you happen to fly HEL-CPH. ;)

      Thank you and see u.
  • Comment 582152 by
    Jett Tyler GOLD 357 Comments
    Nice review! I am a massive Finnair fan!
    Nice to find this now rather retro flight review from 2015!

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