Finnair has announced some major passenger experience upgrades, as the airline has revealed all new cabins for its long haul aircraft, including Airbus A330s and A350s. This includes the introduction of a new business class seat, the addition of a premium economy cabin (which the airline didn’t previously offer), and some updates to economy class, representing an overall investment of €200 million. Let’s go over the details.
In this post:
Finnair’s new business class seat
Finnair is introducing the Collins Aerospace AirLounge seat in business class, for which the airline is the launch customer. As it’s described, this isn’t a traditional aircraft seat, but rather it takes inspiration from lounge furniture. The seat is designed to maximize comfort, space, and freedom to move.
Here’s how some of the seat’s key features are described:
- The seat’s fixed contoured shell with no recline enables a wide variety of sitting and sleeping positions
- You can sit at different angles, rest your feet on the ottoman, or use infill panels to create a large flat surface
- A mattress and duvet turn the space into a comfortable bed, and you can use the cushy pillows to relax in a variety of sitting positions
- The high cocoon shell of the seat provides privacy, while the divider between central seats can be lowered when traveling with a companion
- The lighting options in the seat allow tailoring the ambiance of every customer’s own “nest”
- Along with a customized lamp that doubles as a reading light, a do not disturb light is included if privacy is desired
- The cabin will feature new mood lighting intended to combat the impacts of jetlag
- The design scheme is inspired by Nordic nature, complete with the northern lights as the cabin is dimmed for sleep
- There are various storage options, including spaces for personal items, laptops, and all pillows and blankets, and they can all be used for taxi, takeoff, and landing
- The flexible table can be used to read, dine, or work, and each seat comes with USB-A, USB-C, PC power, and wireless mobile charging
- The inflight entertainment system comes with a new, more user-friendly and customized interface with a wider 18″ screen
Below are some pictures of Finnair’s new business class product.
Below is a video of the new seat, which is extremely useful given how unusual this seat is, as it doesn’t recline.
Finnair’s new premium economy product
Not only is Finnair refreshing its business class product, but the airline is also introducing an all-new premium economy product, which is a cabin the airline doesn’t currently offer. Finnair’s new premium economy cabin will be the Vector seat from HAECO, and Finnair is also the launch customer for that product.
Here are some of the key details about Finnair’s new premium economy:
- The seat will feature 50% more space than economy class, and there will be at most 26 seats in the cabin
- The seat will feature memory foam cushions, 8″ of recline, waterfall leg rest, and a six-way headrest
- There will be dedicated storage for laptops and small personal items
- There will be a large and sturdy single leaf meal tray for work and dining, as well as individual reading lights
- There will be USB-A and PC power outlets
- Each seat will feature a redesigned inflight entertainment system with 13″ wide screens
- In terms of service, premium economy will feature two meal services as well as a selection of drinks throughout the flight; the first meal service will be three courses, while a lighter meal will be served before landing
Below are some pictures of Finnair’s new premium economy product.
Finnair’s economy class refresh
While I wouldn’t get too excited, there are also some minor changes coming to Finnair’s long haul economy class experience. This will be coming to Finnair’s A330s, plus the three Finnair A350s that the airline has ordered but hasn’t yet put into service. For these planes we can expect:
- New lighter seats
- Enhanced ergonomics, personal stowage options, USB-A and USB-C connectivity, and a larger inflight entertainment screen with an updated user interface
Meanwhile Finnair’s existing A350s will simply receive new seat covers and an updated IFE experience.
When will Finnair’s new cabins be introduced?
Finnair is debuting the new cabins on both the A330 and A350 around the same time. Finnair has ordered an additional three Airbus A350-900s that haven’t yet entered service, so the first planes with the new cabins should be some of those A350s. Furthermore, Finnair has already reconfigured one A330 with the new cabins.
Finnair has been offering its new cabins between Helsinki (HEL) and London (LHR), but as of now the planes haven’t started operating long haul routes. That will soon be changing. Finnair’s first three long haul destinations to get the new cabins will be New York, Singapore, and Dallas:
- The Helsinki (HEL) to New York (JFK) route will be operated by an A330 with the new cabins as of May 2, 2022
- The Helsinki (HEL) to Singapore (SIN) route will be operated by an A350 with the new cabins as of May 11, 2022
- The Helsinki (HEL) to Dallas (DFW) route will be operated by an A350 with the new cabins as of May 12, 2022
Obviously this remains subject to change, but as of now that seems to be the plan. If you want to easily tell based on the seatmap whether the seat features the new cabins, it’s pretty easy to do.
For the A330, you know it’s the new cabins if business class is in a 1-2-1 configuration the whole way through.
For the A350, you know it’s the new cabins if the forward business class cabin has seven rows of seats along the windows, rather than eight. Furthermore, the rear business class cabin has three rows of seats on the left side and four rows of seats on the right side.
My take on Finnair’s new cabins
A few thoughts on Finnair’s new cabins. Let’s start with business class:
- It’s always exciting to see an all new seating product introduced, as Finnair is the launch customer for this seat
- This seat is truly revolutionary, for better or worse, as it doesn’t offer recline; I’ve gotta be honest, I’m highly skeptical of this in terms of being able to find various positions in which to comfortably sit (what if you don’t want to sit upright or sleep?), but I guess I’ll have to reserve judgment
- On some level I imagine a non-reclining seat is a cost saving measure, as this seat must be significantly lighter (meaning it leads to less fuel burn), and also potentially require less maintenance (since there’s less that can break)
- I love the Nordic design of the cabin; while minimalist, it has a bit of personality too
- It sounds like the cabin is pretty thoughtfully designed, between all the storage compartments, the wireless charging, etc. (though again, I’m skeptical about the lack of recline)
- This seat does remind me a bit of Singapore Airlines’ business class seat, as it appears that you have to sleep at an angle, and I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not; I question how comfortable these seats will be
- For context, Finnair’s A350s currently have reverse herringbone seats, while Finnair’s A330s currently have staggered seats; this will be a particularly big upgrade for A330s
As far as premium economy goes:
- Premium economy is becoming an increasingly popular seating offering, so it’s nice to see Finnair finally introduce this
- This looks like a pretty standard premium economy product, though I do like the finishes
Lastly, when it comes to economy:
- The new “lighter seats” probably aren’t good news, as I imagine they’re not going to be particularly comfortable
- While it’s nice that Finnair will offer USB-A and USB-C connectivity, why no PC power?!
Bottom line
Finnair is introducing an all new long haul experience, including a refreshed business class product, an all new premium economy cabin, and some minor refreshes in economy. The first planes with these products are flying as of the spring of 2022, with long haul flights launching as of May 2022.
While the economy and premium economy cabin updates are roughly what you’d expect, Finnair is going with a revolutionary new business class product that doesn’t feature recline. We’ve never seen an airline do that before (to my knowledge), so I’m really curious to see what the seat comfort is like. I’m skeptical, and can’t wait to try the new business class.
What do you make of Finnair’s new long haul cabins?
I flew to London in the old A350 business class and back to Helsinki in the new one. I was excited and for me personally, the new cabin was so much better. I found it easier to get comfortable and it was nice and wide. More storage as well than the old cabin. Looks nicer as well with the navy. I’m flying it to Dallas in December so I’ll see how it is on a longer flight
"For the A330, you know it’s the new cabins if business class is in a 1-2-1 configuration the whole way through."
Has this been confirmed somehow? We've booked HEL-MIA Jan 2023. On the seat reservation page you can see 1-2-1 config, but I wanted to recheck with customer support and they confirmed that it has been planned to operate with the older BC (2-2-1, 1-2-1). Now I'm very confused...
Flew HEL-LHR last week in J and was pleasantly surprised to find the new seats were on my plane. Took a few minutes to get my head around the layout and the new controls but ultimately I have to say Bravo to Finnair. Loved being able to curl up like on a sofa, and although it was a morning flight and I didn't need to sleep I did extend the lie flat bed to try...
Flew HEL-LHR last week in J and was pleasantly surprised to find the new seats were on my plane. Took a few minutes to get my head around the layout and the new controls but ultimately I have to say Bravo to Finnair. Loved being able to curl up like on a sofa, and although it was a morning flight and I didn't need to sleep I did extend the lie flat bed to try it out. I think they just stole a march on the competition. Can't wait to have these seats going long haul to Asia.
This has the potential to be my favourite business class seat, but is really all in the execution. I personally love sitting with my feet next to my bum, which this seat seems perfect for. Being able to sit with my legs extended out straight as well, while sitting with my back against the wall is really my comfort zone. The execution might be awful and might not provide the ideal angles/room to manoeuvre/etc., however,...
This has the potential to be my favourite business class seat, but is really all in the execution. I personally love sitting with my feet next to my bum, which this seat seems perfect for. Being able to sit with my legs extended out straight as well, while sitting with my back against the wall is really my comfort zone. The execution might be awful and might not provide the ideal angles/room to manoeuvre/etc., however, based on the video, I really would be interested in giving it a try. Everybody has their own preferences for what they consider comfortable sitting. So even they are great for me, they might still be generally unpopular. (like Air New Zealand's Spaceseats) However, I think it is great that they are trying something. And I hope they live up to their potential.
I'm currently booked SIN-HEL in July and was booked HEL-HND in August (although that's now up in the air due to AY changing it to NRT and the fact that I can't currently enter Japan to transit to the other airport)
I'm travelling with someone who would struggle to get her feet into the footwell, and relies on a bit of recline to be able to snooze on long haul flights. I'm now a bit concerned that this could become a very uncomfortable flight for her.
The J looks awfully crammed. These seats are essentially glorified Saarinen womb chairs. Gorgeous design but mightily uncomfortable to sit in. I love the way modern furniture look but in all honesty, they are awful to sit in most of the time. Unless those seat paddings are made of memory foam, I bet those J seats will give you backaches when traveling to the States. They will have to carry a lot of pillows on airplanes to make them comfortable.
They cushioning is made of memory foam.
Two words: blueberry juice
What is the seat pitch in premium economy? That's all that I care about in PE.
Looks great if you are doing yoga. However the bulk of people paying for business class are in many cases older (and sometimes also heavier) guys who like to enjoy a drink while they recline and read/watch a movie. Can´t wait for the actual reviews, are you doing one for us Ben?
I'm very skeptical of these new J seats. I predict they will be a flop.
Just flew it this morning in seat 6A from HEL-LHR on an A330 - so not a very long flight at all. At first I found the seat quite confusing (especially as there is a small section that isn’t operated by the electronic controls and I required help from an attendant to stow it for landing) but, after a while, I found it to be really quite good. It can be strange if you want...
Just flew it this morning in seat 6A from HEL-LHR on an A330 - so not a very long flight at all. At first I found the seat quite confusing (especially as there is a small section that isn’t operated by the electronic controls and I required help from an attendant to stow it for landing) but, after a while, I found it to be really quite good. It can be strange if you want to be in-between laying flat and sitting upright, but the shape of the outer shell actually allows for multiple seating positions and provides a lot of privacy. I found the space to be big in lie-flat mode, much bigger than the Polaris coffin I flew in about a week before from DEN-LHR (and the food on that flight was worse than domestic economy, but that’s another story for another day!).
Would be keen to try it again on a longer flight.
Ben, just as another data point, looks like the new configuration is loaded onto AY19/20 starting June 23.
Ben, just as another data point, looks like the new configuration is loaded onto AY19 starting June 23.
Not sure I like the idea that it does not recline at all. Need to get some actual flight experience.
Sorry, but at first glance this looks appalling. I am trying hard to reserve judgement until you’ve had a chance to review the new seat, but it looks like a less comfortable version of the Singapore airlines J seat. I always preferred the CX reverse herringbone to the SQ ‘hard wide square’, and this looks even more limited…
As for premium economy, 8-abreast seating on an A350 means the seat is much narrower than...
Sorry, but at first glance this looks appalling. I am trying hard to reserve judgement until you’ve had a chance to review the new seat, but it looks like a less comfortable version of the Singapore airlines J seat. I always preferred the CX reverse herringbone to the SQ ‘hard wide square’, and this looks even more limited…
As for premium economy, 8-abreast seating on an A350 means the seat is much narrower than on a 777 or (RIP) a 747. This is really clear on BA, where their similar 8-across A350 layout is such downgrade from their 777 product or their (7-abreast) product on their 787s, it feels like standard economy.
I am all for innovation in seating, so I hope I’m wrong, but this new J seat looks like a massive miscalculation…
I would like to try this out, but i think they are going to need a lot more pillows or bolster supports that I or the attendant could pull down from the overhead bin so it would actually be possible to sit upright to eat a meal or work on a laptop. At first I hated this idea but if they added in some ways to make this more like a couch with movable cushions then it might be a nice space/way to spend 10 hours.
Up to this point, Finnair was my favorite European carrier. I'd go out of my way to fly them. But this new business class seat may be a deal-breaker. I love the finishes, but heavens that is a tight seat. The pixie-sized passenger they featured in the video makes it look somewhat spacious, but the lack of a reclining seatback is going to be an issue for many people. And cramming up to half your...
Up to this point, Finnair was my favorite European carrier. I'd go out of my way to fly them. But this new business class seat may be a deal-breaker. I love the finishes, but heavens that is a tight seat. The pixie-sized passenger they featured in the video makes it look somewhat spacious, but the lack of a reclining seatback is going to be an issue for many people. And cramming up to half your body in the space under the video monitor just does not look comfortable.
I would have been happy with the revised finishes applied to the existing A350 seats. Clearly they decided to take space from the business cabin to create premium economy. Somehow I don't think that's going to pan out as being the best decision.
I think people have forgotten the patent that British Airways had filed before unveiling the latest Club Suite? This was exactly it, only a little more forward facing, but clearly BA decided against it! At the time nicknamed Sofa Class there are still plenty of live web links around to have a look.
Hi Phillip,
You are right. Both seats are developed by PriestmanGoode.
The patent of the „British Airways Sofa Class“ has many pictures to better understand the sitting and sleeping conditions that are possible in the seat.
In other words, Alex Cruz actually rejected a layout similar to this? Fascinating, and speaks volumes! Thanks for the info
Golly they were creative with their seat descriptions. Those explanations are pure verbal diarrhea
I would love to know the height of the female model they are using to display the 'comfort' of this seat! She looks about 5'2. I would love to see the seat being showcased by an adult who is 6 feet tall with a bit of weight to them. The seat might NOT so comfortable in that scenario.
No recline? Really? I’ll give this one a pass!
U have flights from Abudhabi to Toronto return fare in business class
Hopefully they still have the old layout in 'J' on the flight I booked today ARN to LAX. 70K Alaskan miles, and Business all the way to Maui. Switched from my old booking with BA on the 380 upper deck, with a pathetic $ 473 co-pay, and the backward facing seat looked like a coffin.
I am booked in business class jfk to helsinki in October 2022 on an a350. Finnair has already changed the seating arrangement to reflect the new seats. Not sure if I'll like it, but happy to get to try it out.
I share the skepticism of many others in the comments about the comfort of this seat. However, upon further inspection, it would appear that the sleeping position highly mimics that of a Cirrus reverse herringbone, particularly that of Cathay's on their A350s. The cubby looks to be quite long (judging from the length of the side table), and there seems to be quite a bit of padded space. Assuming that the seat's cushion and padding...
I share the skepticism of many others in the comments about the comfort of this seat. However, upon further inspection, it would appear that the sleeping position highly mimics that of a Cirrus reverse herringbone, particularly that of Cathay's on their A350s. The cubby looks to be quite long (judging from the length of the side table), and there seems to be quite a bit of padded space. Assuming that the seat's cushion and padding are thick and comfortable, it could very well make a very comfortable seat, perhaps even a quantum leap in Business Class seating.
The sleeping angle seems more reminiscent of a reverse herringbone seat compared to Singapore's seat; it should be possible to lie down on your back comfortably. To me the finishes do look premium and I hope that the padding and lumbar support is significant. Judging from first appearances that is what I suspect. I'm sure a lot of work has been put into making this as comfortable and ergonomic as a conventional reclining seat, but I suppose only time will tell.
Cool, Finnair joins Spirit with non-reclining Big Front Seat! Those non-reclining big front seats are quite nice - for a $25 upcharge on a 2 hour flight to Myrtle Beach.
lets hope the economy class seats are resistant to kids kicking the seats and slamming the tray tables
I think the colours and finishes look lovely but I have my doubts about the ergonomics. I think a lot of whether it’s comfortable will depend on the bedding. If it’s just a flimsy pillow I suspect it will be a miss.
Pillow, schmillow. WHERE are you supposed to put your LEGS?
In this new video released, it shows that the seat still has some moving parts between the seat and foot parts that are operated by buttons.
https://youtu.be/lkIA5idDOAE
Imagine all the $$$$$ Finnair saved by installing these glorified padded benches instead of actual proper seats. Quite frankly I'm getting all manner of neck, shoulder and back aches just looking at it. Take a look at comments from other sites and bloggers. At best, the reaction is decidedly cool....
Take a look at the "overhead" shot of the seat. Head on the pillow. Shoulders on the next section of the duvet, upper torso on the last section showing. The rest of your body - everything from your belly button down to your toes - will be forward of the video screen, tucked somehow into that foot cubby (which looks like it's only big enough for one of your feet, never mind two, plus both...
Take a look at the "overhead" shot of the seat. Head on the pillow. Shoulders on the next section of the duvet, upper torso on the last section showing. The rest of your body - everything from your belly button down to your toes - will be forward of the video screen, tucked somehow into that foot cubby (which looks like it's only big enough for one of your feet, never mind two, plus both legs, and your butt).
The only way to fit comfortably in those seats will be to book two of them, get yourself cut in half, and put half of yourself in each seat.
Are you sure this isn't the new Spirit-Frontier premium seat?
We loved them and about to board again back to nyc. By far the best sleep we have had in J once laying flat. The foot hole is by far larger than it looks. Lots of room
I have back and neck pain from just looking at that new J seat.
Oh man, this looks terrible compared to the throne seat that I booked just three days ago! Compared to the Finnair throne seat on the A330, it looks like this new seat has about half the space. It also looks like the seat pitch is drastically reduced compared to the throne seat. My throne seat flight is in late August, so I hope they don't "upgrade" the cabin on that particular A330 before my flight takes place.
"The design scheme is inspired by Nordic nature, complete with the northern lights as the cabin is dimmed for sleep"
What the heck is that? Lights randomly flashing throughout the cabin?
Yeah, nothing helps me sleep like projecting flickering colored lights on a ceiling. Good call, Finnair.
Have you been on a Finnair A350 flight before? The mood lighting is really mellow and smooth, not a Las Vegas neon flicker.
This looks absolutely dreadful.
It's impossible to know for sure until we get some reports from people who have actually experienced this, but from what I can see so far, it appears to be something of a nightmare. No recline? Then give me a LOT more space end-to-end. This appears to provide the opposite: significantly less space in all dimensions. The foot cubby looks tiny, and tapered to a point -- good luck with that.
...This looks absolutely dreadful.
It's impossible to know for sure until we get some reports from people who have actually experienced this, but from what I can see so far, it appears to be something of a nightmare. No recline? Then give me a LOT more space end-to-end. This appears to provide the opposite: significantly less space in all dimensions. The foot cubby looks tiny, and tapered to a point -- good luck with that.
This looks like something at Ikea: at a distance, it has nice lines, the surfaces appear like they will be soft and cushy, but upon touching it, you realize it's just hard (cheap), unyielding plastic covered with a thin layer of fabric, and would be painfully uncomfortable immediately, never mind after 10 hours trying to make it work.
Feh. A real disappointment. With Finnair's announced expansion into North American markets (and my home city) I had been excited about having them as another option to Europe, but I think I will now avoid these flights to HEL.
Lol flight to HEL
Such an american response. Ikea is not just minimalist in design but build. It’s all about lagom.
How in the world will people be comfortable while lying down in FI's new business class seat? The foot area doesn't even look big enough for my feet. I also need about 30 inches across as I sleep on my side, but it looks like there's about 18 inches in the pictures. What if you want to kick back and enjoy a movie while reclining? You can't, because there's no back support to do it,...
How in the world will people be comfortable while lying down in FI's new business class seat? The foot area doesn't even look big enough for my feet. I also need about 30 inches across as I sleep on my side, but it looks like there's about 18 inches in the pictures. What if you want to kick back and enjoy a movie while reclining? You can't, because there's no back support to do it, and neither is there any head or neck support. Since I don't have to be objective, I'm going to give the new seat a big fat zero.
I will reserve judgment until you and others have tried the new concept out. Surly in the absence of a recline feature the seat must have some kind of padding that can be removed or added in order to find a good relaxing seating position.
For the a330, this new business seat may be a good thing, at least in terms of privacy. But it looks to be a significant downgrade for the a350. The current reverse herring bone product on the latter aircraft is quite nice. Paired with a good crew, the overall experience is as pleasant as anyone's. However, not being able to recline for ~10 hours between, say, HEL and SIN would definitely put a damper on said experience.
This looks like a very low cost option, consistent with Finnair's bare-bones J product.
The seat appears to incorporate the very worst aspects of the two prior versions of the SQ J seat, including no recline and a forced angled sleeping position with very narrow footspace. I bet the surfaces are rock-hard too.
No thank you.
I cannot help but think that the airline must be saving a lot of money both in the seat mechanics and weight by removing the ability to recline. While this is all prettied-up to make it sound like this somehow improves passenger comfort, I am more than skeptical.
The foot space in business class looks even smaller than on Singapore Airlines. How’s that even possible?
My thoughts, too!
A business class seat with no recline.. the world is really coming to an end
Looks nice, crisp, and modern and a significant upgrade over the existing cabins, notably in Business, which, while OK, were really getting beaten up and had plenty of wear and tear the last time I flew them, thanks to the light color palette.
It will be interesting to see how Finnair climbs out of the industry's pandemic induced downturn. The airline's bread and butter routes are to Asia, and notably, China and Japan, and not...
Looks nice, crisp, and modern and a significant upgrade over the existing cabins, notably in Business, which, while OK, were really getting beaten up and had plenty of wear and tear the last time I flew them, thanks to the light color palette.
It will be interesting to see how Finnair climbs out of the industry's pandemic induced downturn. The airline's bread and butter routes are to Asia, and notably, China and Japan, and not to the US, and the recalibration to focus on US routes (SEA, DFW, the ARN stuff) will be interesting to see if it lasts.
There is another photo that shoes the foot space and it looks mighty tight in bed mode which could be tough with up to 30% of your body going into the 'leg' cubby
Looks to me like all of you from the waist down -- more like 50% of most people, not 30% -- will need to go into that narrow "foot cubbyhole." Basically, everything "below the belt." No thank you.
This looks like the clear winner for "worst business class seat in the world."
‘Build Back Better’
Finnair seems to have taken that motto a little bit too seriously.
This makes me think of the patent British Airways filed in 2014 for their "couch" style business class: https://milestomemories.com/british-airways-new-seat/
@Lucky: Thats all for your reaction to the new business class seat? What are your thoughts on NO RECLINE? That’s a pretty big change - seats have reclined since the invention of business class.
@ PT -- Totally right, should have added that. Updated the post to reflect my thoughts there. Yeah, I'm really skeptical of the lack of recline, and am curious to check this out myself...
I do not think the business class hard product is an improvement or an upgrade. Looks incredibly uncomfortable and cramped. Instead of having multiple options on how you want to angle your seat now there are only two options - upright or flat. Nothing in between - no more recline option if you want to lay back a little while watching a movie or not going all the way upright to sip a cup of...
I do not think the business class hard product is an improvement or an upgrade. Looks incredibly uncomfortable and cramped. Instead of having multiple options on how you want to angle your seat now there are only two options - upright or flat. Nothing in between - no more recline option if you want to lay back a little while watching a movie or not going all the way upright to sip a cup of coffee after waking up. I know reclining seats are very heavy and costs a lot of money to maintain the motor - this is clearly a cost cutting move.
Also I am not confident about the footrest space when fully flat since they will lose some of the bed length that a reclining seat offers (i.e. the seat back doubles down as a seat and a bed without requiring more space) so this will require a deeper footrest to maintain similar bed length.
Concept is neat and I love the finishes, but not 100% sold on this product. Sleep and comfort is the most important feature of a long haul business class seat and if this new product doesn’t match or present an improvement then this is a major downgrade IMHO.
You can (theoretically, depending on the power) charge most modern laptops via usb-c.