China and mainland tourists mean big business for Finnair
The airline is looking to add more destinations, including mainland cities, to the seven places it already serves in Asia, as more Chinese tourists head to the arctic country
More than a decade ago, a small Finnish airline bet its future on luring passengers wanting to travel between Europe and Asia by being their quickest option. Today, its presence in Asia is as big as its largest European rivals.
The next leap for Finnair would be to add more destinations, including Chinese ones, to the seven cities it already serves in the region. Pekka Vauramo, Finnair’s outgoing CEO, said newer long-range small planes could suit the airline’s needs if it wanted to fly to second and third tier mainland cities.
Vauramo, who resigned last month, said China was the centre of the airline’s future and assured that the company would be just as committed to the wider region under the new leadership.
“China is probably the biggest growth market for Finnair for several years to come,” Vauramo said, speaking to the Post on the sidelines of a global aviation industry meeting in Sydney, Australia.
Finnair last month added new flights to Nanjing, complementing the six other cities it flies to including Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. This month, the airline signed a deal to expand its cooperation with Cathay Pacific subsidiary Cathay Dragon on flights around Southeast Asia.