Finland's national carrier Finnair is all set to start direct flights between Helsinki and Mumbai from June 27, Christer Haglund, senior vice president of the airline, said in Mumbai on Tuesday.
"Starting from June 27, Finnair will connect Mumbai to Europe in the fastest and most convenient service five times a week with the most competitive return fares," Haglund said at a news conference.
"Apart from providing the latest wide-bodied Airbus A340 crafts, Finnair will cater to Indian tastes and preferences with Indian cabin crew, to make Indian passengers feel at home."
Haglund said Finnair has decided to focus on India as a major Asian hub of its operations.
"Finnair commenced operations from India with three flights a week to Delhi in October 2006, and in less than eight months, we will be operating 12 flights a week to India."
He also termed the Mumbai-Helsinki flights "environment friendly".
"With a flight time of just over eight hours, the Mumbai-Helsinki flights will be environmental friendly as there will be no refuelling stops on Europe's most modern fleet of aircraft."
The senior vice president said that the airline's economy class passenger load to Asia had increased by 80 per cent, and the business class by 40 per cent.
{{/usCountry}}The senior vice president said that the airline's economy class passenger load to Asia had increased by 80 per cent, and the business class by 40 per cent.
{{/usCountry}}"We foresee an enormous potential in the Asia market, particularly in the Indian sector, though the revenue from the Asian market in the last fiscal was just five per cent of the airline's total revenue."