We're seeing a couple of cool new routes to Helsinki this year from China. Juneyao Airlines is commencing longhaul operations with their 787-9, as they launch a daily Shanghai to Helsinki route as of June 28, 2019. Alrighty then... However, that's no doubt the less surprising of the two new routes Helsinki is getting this…
Continue reading: Tibet Airlines’ Unusual Flight To Helsinki Is Now On Sale
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I see availability on trip.com. Did not click thru to ticketing, but flights are listed.
I think the more interesting angle is actually why? Why would anyone from Tibet want to fly to Helsinki? How could they afford it? Does this airline have interline agreements with Finnair to allow through traffic?
@ RingRunner -- Good catch. Updated the post to reflect that. My gosh, these are some crazy fares, though.
Playing around their (rather buggy) website shows TNA-HEL Econ fares $320 one way / $575 round trip, Biz fares $4700 one way / $6700 round trip (ouch!)
Googling Jinan, it's one of those Chinese megacities (8.7 million!) no one has ever heard of... And with an airport that has no directs to Europe. If TV can partner with tour operators, I'm sure they can fill two A330s a week with Chinese tourists snapping a quick picture at Senate Square (no, wait, snapping 100 quick pictures) before connecting to continental Europe.
My guess is a carefully planned itinerary where HEL is the first stop and the last stop is one that has an evening flight landing at HEL after 8 pm. There are at least nine European cities from which there are such connections (not limited to AY flights).
Thus, there's no real need for them to sell individual tickets.
Finland is full of Chinese tourists, especially in the winter when they come for the skiing. Makes sense that Chinese airlines would operate direct flights to Helsinki.
Checked on edreams and cheapest I could pull up was 2200€ (USD2500) one way TNA-HEL.
So the red ChiComs not only militarily invaded Tibet in 1949 and have been unlawfully and brutally occupying Tibet since then , they are now using Tibet as one of their airline’s name? I wouldn’t fly in that airline . They have killers 1.2 million Tibetans . When will the world be honest? Why just North Korea or Syria? Sadly it is all power!
I mean, you can always go with Economy just for the uniqueness of this flight, right? Its business class will probably be unmemorable, and its Economy can't be the worst. Plus, it's not like the service will be the exciting part of the experience, you'll be excited whichever class you fly in.
$4000 for an 8 hour flight from China to Finland on a 2-2-2 Business Class Configuration? Hell Nah!
Firstly, this flight really has nothing to do with LXA-HEL-LXA market but TNA-HEL-TNA which it intends to serve.
Skyscanner.com has fares around $542 rt for HEL-TNA-HEL in Y, which seems rather reasonable to me. On the other hand the same flights in J seems to be $4909, which seems extremely steep.
The flight will be filled with Chinese tourists on a package tour. Only 2 rows of business class -- is that the lowest number of business class seats on any airline's long haul flight (other than 0 of course)?
the business class is indeed extremely expensive. However, the economy ticket is OK, less than most other airlines with connection. ( 5700 Yuan which is less than $1000 for 4/15/ to 4/22 round trip ). By the way, I used ctrip.com
If Debit learns there’s an airport coded ‘TNA’ he’s going to book it in business, price be damned!
Hint: regional subsidies for starting international routes out of less developed airports 😉
Great, more planes full of Chinese tour groups who turn a place into a noisy, chaotic mess. No thanks.
@Jed - the air is thinner at altitude, lowering engine performance. An aircraft must therefore carry less load (often fuel) to be able to takeoff if the airport and runway were not designed to adequate length. Therefore, a refuelling stopover is needed on long journeys.