Finnair Plc Press release Finnair's pilots strike action disrupts traffic
Finnair and The Finnish Airline Pilots' Association have failed to reach
agreement in employment agreement negotiations. Finnair pilots begin a strike
on Monday 16 November. Due to the strike Finnair is likely to cancel nearly all
long-haul flights departing from Helsinki on Sunday as well as European flights
departing on Sunday and returning on Monday. Finnair's scheduled flights on
Monday are cancelled. Finnair aims to operate all of its leisure flights
regardless of the strike.
Finnair recommends that customers postpone their journey if their flight is
cancelled due to the strike. If postponement is not possible for the customer,
Finnair will attempt to make special arrangements to enable the journey.
"If a customer's flight is among those cancelled, the options are postponement
of the journey, rerouting or a refund of the unused part of the ticket. Finnair
will be flexible in changing flight bookings, irrespective of the type of
ticket," explains Finnair Senior Vice President Timo Riihimäki, who is
responsible for customer service.
Finnair will continuously update information about the strike on the internet
at www.finnair.com/info, where a list of cancelled flights, a refund form, and
questions and answers can also be found. Customers whose flights are cancelled
are urged first to contact the travel agent from which they booked their
tickets. Finnair will provide telephone service to customers on +358 600 140
140.
"We will also serve customers using text messages, if the bookings include an
up-to-date mobile phone number. We also recommend use of the internet to follow
the situation, because telephone services are likely to be very busy," says
Riihimäki.
Finnair operates approximately 200 flights per day. Finnair's codeshare
partners will fly to and from Helsinki as normal despite the strike. If
customers have a ticket with a Finnair flight number sold for another airline's
aircraft, they can take this flight as normal.
Finnair's ground handling and sales personnel at airports abroad have been
instructed to be present at the departure times of cancelled flights so
customers can receive information as efficiently as possible in these
exceptional circumstances.
Finnair apologises for any disruption and inconvenience to its customers
because of the strike action and will continue to make every effort to solve
the situation.
Finnair Plc
Communications
14 November 2009
Additional information for customers: www.finnair.fi/info and by telephone +358
600 140 140
Additional information for media: Finnair Media Desk tel. +358 9 818 4020
Finnair blogs: http://blogs.finnair.com
Photobank: www.finnair.com/gallery
Finnair Group website: www.finnairgroup.com
