A glass of expensive French champagne has always been considered a must-have for travel in premium cabins, but Finnair has decided to replace vintage champagne in business class with cheap sparkling wine.
The cost-cutting measures come into effect on April 19. Many other innovations will follow on the same day.
Finnair says it will continue to provide thin blankets to economy class passengers on long-haul flights, but pillows will have to be phased out because “many passengers take own pillows.
The airline spokesman shared the opinion that passengers do not need a pillow, because the new headrests on economy class seats provide a comfortable head support.
However, if passengers somehow manage to take a nap without a pillow, then without food on You won't be able to eat on board. Finnair plans to eliminate the second meal on some of its long-haul flights, such as the nearly nine-hour flight from Helsinki to New York JFK or the six-hour flight to Dubai.
Finnair will sell snacks and drinks on board, while offering passengers to take cereal bars in their hand luggage in case they do not have enough in-flight meals.
The airline will leave free water and its famous blueberry juice throughout its European network . Business class passengers are still entitled to meals on all flights, except for the shortest ones, when the airline explains that it does not have time for service.
Though the Finnish carrier will continue to offer one free serving of wine or beer to the main course. It is likely that these are the minimum standards of service approved by the oneworld alliance airlines.
In early March, Finnair miraculously canceled the use of cheaper cabin crew to replace existing ones, and then only because their own crew members agreed to reduce their wages wages and some deterioration in working conditions.
Finnair is trying to rethink its business model. The closure of Russian airspace has made its pre-crisis long-haul strategy to Asia economically unviable.
