Oneworld carrier Finnair, which currently operates four times weekly quarantine-free flights from Helsinki to Singapore as part of the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) programme, has revealed a brand new Business Class cabin product for its Airbus A330 and A350 fleets.
The Nordic airline has become the launch customer for the Collins Aerospace ‘AirLounge’ concept, with the new cabins set to be retrofitted to all 25 of its existing long-haul Airbus A330s and A350s, and on two further factory-fresh A350s from Airbus, arriving in 2024 and 2025.
The concept for the product, which takes the form of a 3D shell inspired by residential lounge furniture, was by design consultants PriestmanGoode, who worked on the Qatar Airways Qsuite, and Tangerine, who revamped Finnair’s international lounge at Helsinki.
The EUR 200m (S$306m) product investment will also see the airline launch its first ever Premium Economy Class cabin on these long-haul aircraft, while Economy Class also benefits from lighter seats with improved connectivity and entertainment systems.
The rollout is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.
‘AirLounge’ Business Class seat
The biggest innovation from Finnair in this product reveal is undoubtedly its new AirLounge Business Class concept, which the carrier says “is not a traditional aircraft seat, but takes inspiration from lounge furniture”.
“Enjoy furniture-like comfort with our entirely new Collins’ AirLounge seat that amplifies your personal space and freedom to move with its innovative contoured shell design. The seat offers you the best-in-class sleep comfort by turning into a spacious lay-flat bed with a proper mattress pad and exclusive Marimekko design textiles.”
Finnair
The revamp will first be apparent at the main aircraft entrance for all passengers (Door 2), with a reimagined reception area incorporating a bar counter for in-flight refreshments, designed for Finnair by AIM Altitude Aerospace.
On the Airbus A350s there will then be 30 seats in the forward cabin section in a 1-2-1 layout, with seven rows of window seats and eight middle pairs.
A further 13 Business Class seats are located in an intimate three-row mini-cabin behind the mid galley on some A350s configured with a more premium-heavy configuration.
At first glance the question you may ask… “where is the seat?”
The strange (or should we say ‘innovative’) thing about this product is that there is no traditional reclining seat as such – the padded shell itself is the seat.
This is designed to allow you to position yourself at a wide variety of different angles, rest your feet on the ottoman or use extendable infill panels to create a large flat surface. Pillows are provided to offer support in various seating positions.
“By doing away with complicated seat mechanisms and using 3D curved shells, we’re able to provide a larger flexible living space. This allows you to move more freely and take up different positions that traditional aircraft seats do not allow.”
David Kondo, Finnair Customer Experience
It’s certainly a different concept which we look forward to trying, but it reminds us of the difficulty we always had finding a comfortable seating position in Singapore Airlines’ huge 2006 Business Class seats, which have now been retired.
Let’s see how this one compares once we manage a trip.
For couples, the middle seat pairs in Business Class (‘D’ and ‘H’ seats at each row) look to offer a sociable experience, without having to lean too far forwards to have a conversation with one another, like you do in the current Finnair Business Class seat.
Don’t worry too much though – middle seat pairs can be effectively segregated with a full-height extendable divider, providing your own cocoon in case you’re flying alongside a stranger in one of the ‘D’ or ‘H’ seats.
Privacy in all Business Class seats is enhanced with high seat backs and side wings.
Business Class bed
In bed mode, a key feature for travelers on long-haul routes, things start to become more conventional with seat panels raising to form a fully flat surface, with a mattress and duvet provided.
A ‘do not disturb’ light is available if you don’t wish to be interrupted while sleeping.
The downside of the bed? Well rather like the Singapore Airlines long-haul Business Class seats, this one looks as though it forces you to sleep at an angle, with your feet in a small cubby hole in the corner, which extends beneath the side table of the seat in front of you to allow better cabin density.
Some people find this uncomfortable, and crucially Finnair has remained silent on the actual bed length (or any Business Class seat dimensions, for that matter!).
Business Class storage and entertainment
As you’d expect, the new Business Class seat has a variety of storage options for your personal items, with the airline boasting permission for these areas to be used during all stages of the flight.
“The various storage options within the seat include spaces for personal items, laptop, and all pillows and blankets; all certified for taxi, take-off, and landing, so customers can settle in right away and have their essential items conveniently at hand right from the start of the journey.”
Finnair
A large fixed side table is built into each seat, with a control panel at the lip and an extendable dining table that extends from beneath.
Also included is one of the latest Business Class trends – a wireless charging pad for keeping your mobile devices on the go without the need for plugs and cables.
Each seat also comes with USB-A, USB-C and PC power sockets. Though they are not photographed in the press release gallery, these are in the storage cubby behind the door under the reading light.
In-flight entertainment gets an upgrade with a personal 18-inch TV screen for each Business Class passenger, with “a new more user-friendly, customised interface”.
This compares to a 16-inch screen in the airline’s current A350 Business Class. All of Finnair’s long-haul aircraft are also equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity.
Here’s Finnair’s promotional video of the new AirLounge Business Class seat, which also illustrates some of the storage options more closely.
Business Class amenities and food
Finnair is also adding a new meal concept in Business Class as part of its product enhancements.
“Business Class customers will enjoy renewed meal and beverage offerings, including an up to six-course meal in modern bistro-style and another lighter meal. In between meals customers can enjoy the stunning new refreshment area located at the main entrance of the aircraft.”
Finnair
Finnish design house Marimekko has created new pillows and duvets for the Business Class cabin, while meals will be served on Iittala chinaware and beverages in their glassware.
Business Class configurations
The seats retain Finnair’s current 1-2-1 layout on the Airbus A350s, replacing the Safran Cirrus seats (also used by Cathay Pacific), shown below.
On the A330s, however, it’s a big improvement with the new direct aisle access product replacing the now-dated Thompson Vantage seats in an unusual alternating 2-2-1, 1-2-1 configuration.
The new Business Class cabins will result in a slight reduction in capacity on each of Finnair’s long-haul aircraft, as shown below.
New Business Class Configurations
| Aircraft | Current Business |
New ‘AirLounge’ Business |
| A330-300 | 32 seats or 45 seats |
28 seats |
| A350-900 ‘Lo-J’ |
32 seats | 30 seats |
| A350-900 ‘Hi-J’ |
46 seats | 43 seats |
Only A350 cabin pictures have been provided so far, and Finnair hasn’t mentioned any differences in the AirLounge seats to be fitted to the A330s, though the latter’s cabin is a full 35cm narrower, so we expect some concessions on the A330.
Interestingly the airline has not shared any of the Business Class seat’s dimensions, like width, legroom and bed length.
We suspect this is because the versions fitted to the Airbus A330 will have to be smaller to fit into the narrower cabin, so it’ll probably be the A350 to aim for, where possible.
New Premium Economy and Economy Class
Finnair has also launched its first ever dedicated Premium Economy product, to be rolled out on the same 27 long-haul A330s and A350s in its fleet.
The seat is the Vector Premium by HAECO, featuring eight-inch recline, a six-way headrest and 13-inch personal in-flight entertainment screens. Finnair is the launch customer for this product.
Seat pitch is set at 38 inches, and the 2-4-2 layout in this cabin (2-3-2 on the A330) allows some good ‘couple options’ by the windows.
Premium Economy passengers will receive two meal services, comprising a three-course meal served with two main course options on new chinaware by Iittala, and a light meal before landing. Complimentary beverages are available throughout the flight.
Economy Class will also receive new seat covers and updated entertainment systems, “to bring them in line with the designs of the new Business and Premium Economy cabins”.
Finnair Economy Class passengers on long-haul flights receive two meal services; a three-course main meal accompanied by a glass of complimentary wine or beer, followed by a light meal before landing,
Non-alcoholic beverages are available throughout the flight, with additional snacks and alcoholic beverages subject to payment outside the main meal service.
Here’s a tip-to-tail cabin walkthrough video of the new Airbus A350 products, which includes the Premium Economy and Economy Class cabins (no sound):
Product rollout
These new cabin products will retrofitted to Finnair’s A330s and A350s between now and the end of 2023, so it will probably be a couple of years before we can guarantee them, even on specific routes like Singapore – Helsinki.
“The new seat will become available gradually during 2022 and 2023 as part of our cabin renewal. During that time, some of our aircraft will still have the current full-flat seats.”
Finnair
Two aircraft have already been refitted and will start flying in February 2022; let’s hope the Singapore route gets a look in here and there.
Finnair will announce the first specific routes for its new cabin products on 1st March 2022.
Finnair award redemptions
Finnair is a oneworld member, so you can use frequent flyer miles accrued in any oneworld programme to redeem its Economy Class or Business Class seats.
Remember that with no fuel surcharges, Finnair long-haul redemptions come with minimal airport taxes, unless you’re redeeming from high tax origin points like London.
Here’s how you can redeem one-way in Business Class from Singapore on three example routes, using a variety of frequent flyer programmes.
| Finnair Business Class redemption from Singapore |
|||
| FFP | Helsinki (non-stop) |
Frankfurt (via HEL) |
New York (via HEL) |
 |
60k +S$69 |
60k +S$86 |
125k +S$109 |
 |
70k +S$52 |
70k +S$69 |
90k +S$92 |
 |
90k +S$52 |
104.5k +S$69 |
159k +S$92 |
 |
92.75k +S$52 |
108.25k +S$69 |
154.5k +S$92 |
 |
120k +S$52 |
150k +S$69 |
170k +S$92 |
For most of our readers, long-haul Finnair redemptions to and from Asia make good sense when using Asia Miles, but not other oneworld programmes.
Finnair VTL flights
It may be a while before travellers can guarantee these new cabin products seats on the Finnair’s regular flights between Changi and Helsinki.
Nonetheless, here’s the schedule for VTL-designated services in the Helsinki – Singapore direction:
6th December 2021 – 26th March 2022
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
 |
AY131 A350-900 |
||||||||
| HEL 23:55 |
SIN 17:15* |
||||||||
* Next day
Finnair has not yet announced its approved VTL flight schedule to Singapore from 27th March 2022.
Provisionally, the airline is loading daily services, but we’ll update our dedicated page of all VTL flights as soon as this status is confirmed.
Summary
The Collins AirLounge Finnair has chosen as its next long-haul Business Class product is certainly an innovative design, and a very interesting seat. It’s impressive to see that the carrier intends to roll it out quickly across its wide-body aircraft, with the retrofits due for completion less than two years from now.
It’s a little concerning that the lack of a normal reclining seat may adversely affect comfort, with passengers instead having to find the position that best suits them and use the pillows provided to ensure support, in a sort of ‘residential living space’ concept.
There’s also be the less ideal angled sleeping issue, that continues to be a bugbear for many Singapore Airlines passengers in its own long-haul Business Class seats.
The proof, of course, “is in the pudding” as they say, and it will take the passenger experience and feedback from travelling in this seat before we truly know if Finnair and Collins are onto a winner here or not.
We will certainly be keen to jump on board when we can and do a review of our own at some stage.
We’ll also be keeping an eye on when this product comes to Singapore, of course, since it’s a great VTL option using Asia Miles with generally good award availability, even on the designated quarantine-free flights.
Down the back Finnair has also launched a Premium Economy cabin, and will add some enhancements in Economy Class too.
What do you think of the new Finnair Business Class seat? Let us know in the comments section below.
(Cover Photo: Finnair)
Those biz seats do NOT look comfortable. I hope they’re better than they look as I’m planning for Finnair to be my main way to get back to Europe from Asia
The armrests in economy class look super slim to a point of discomfort…
Some other sites list it as 21” wide 78” pitch, and someone 1.9m tall can fit in bed mode.