Finnair cancels 300 December flights due to pilot strikes
25 / 11 / 2024
Finnair A350. Source: Finnair
Finnair will cancel hundreds of flights on December 9 and 13 as a result of its pilots announcing strike action on those days.
The airline said approximately 300 flights would be cancelled on the strike days, while some individual flights in the days before and after will also be affected.
The cancellations include around 140 flights on December 9 and 150 from December 13, the airline explained.
Finnair’s chief operating officer Jaakko Schildt said: “It is disappointing that the Finnish Air Line Pilots’ Association (SLL) has chosen to strike rather than negotiate.”
Intercontinental destinations affected by the strikes include New York, Tokyo Haneda, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Delhi, Bangkok, Doha, Dallas, Seoul and Osaka as well as a host of domestic and European services.
Negotiations between SLL and Finnish service employers’ association Palta have been ongoing for three months, with the national mediator’s office stepping in to manage the talks at the beginning of November.
The union said that Finnair had now returned to profitability following the Covid pandemic thanks in part to the flexibility of its members.
“In the negotiations, we are seeking compensation for the significant efficiency gains made in previous years,” said Vesa Uuspelto, chairman of the SLL.
