Latest news with #Finnair
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
110 flights cancelled at airline that serves Edinburgh
The IAU has announced a series of industrial actions that will significantly disrupt ground operations at one airport on June 2 and June 4 The Finnish Aviation Union (IAU) has declared a series of strikes starting today at an airline that serves Edinburgh and other UK airports. It will significantly disrupt ground operations at Helsinki Airport on June 2 and June 4. The strikes are due to an ongoing wage dispute between the IAU and the employers' association Palta. As a consequence of the planned four-hour work stoppage today, Finnair has had to cancel roughly 110 flights, affecting around 8,000 passengers. The airline is contacting all impacted customers directly via email or SMS to offer alternative arrangements. The IAU confirmed the strike would go ahead following the failure to reach a resolution in collective bargaining negotiations. The union has also issued further strike warnings for June 11, highlighting the potential for continued disruption. Talks have been at a standstill since late January, with hundreds of flights cancelled in recent months. The main issue revolves around salary increases, with the IAU rejecting a recent proposal by the national mediator. According to the union, aviation sector wage growth has lagged behind other industries. They have cited missed raises in 2021 and 2022 as a key concern, reports Bristol Live. In addition to London Heathrow, Finnair also operates flights to and from Manchester and Edinburgh. Passenger rights during the industrial action Despite the industrial action, air passengers' rights remain protected under European regulation EC 261/2004. "Airlines are required to rebook affected passengers to their final destinations at the earliest opportunity and provide Duty of Care-such as meals and hotel accommodations-in cases of significant delays," said Darina Kovacheva, Head of Legal at airline compensation specialist SkyRefund. Full refunds could be available Passengers whose flights are cancelled or significantly delayed may opt for a full refund. Compensation eligibility depends on the nature of the strike. If the strike involves Finnair's own employees, eligible passengers may receive compensation ranging from €250 to €600, depending on the flight distance. If the disruption results from strikes by third-party staff, such as ground handlers not directly employed by the airline, the event is classified as an "extraordinary circumstance," and compensation is not owed. Nevertheless, passengers are advised to retain receipts for any related expenses. Finnair encourages customers traveling on affected dates to monitor their email and SMS messages for updates and to visit the airline's website for the latest travel information.
Wales Online
3 days ago
- Business
- Wales Online
Thousands of passengers face disruption as 110 flights cancelled
Thousands of passengers face disruption as 110 flights cancelled Two more days of diruption have already been announced Expect delays at the airport The Finnish Aviation Union (IAU) has announced a series of industrial actions starting today that will significantly disrupt ground operations at Helsinki Airport on June 2 and June 4. The strikes are the result of an ongoing dispute over wages between the IAU and the employers' association Palta. As a result of the planned four-hour work stoppage today, Finnair has been forced to cancel approximately 110 flights, impacting around 8,000 passengers. The airline is contacting all affected customers directly via email or SMS to provide alternative arrangements. The IAU confirmed the strike would proceed following the failure to reach a resolution in collective bargaining negotiations. The union has also issued further strike warnings for 11 June, underscoring the potential for continued disruption. Negotiations have been stalled since late January, with hundreds of flights cancelled in recent months. The core issue centers on salary increases, with the IAU rejecting a recent proposal by the national mediator. According to the union, aviation sector wage growth has fallen behind other industries, citing missed raises in 2021 and 2022 as a key concern. In addition to London Heathrow, Finnair also flies to and from Manchester and Edinburgh. Passenger Rights During the Industrial Action: Despite the industrial action, air passengers' rights remain protected under European regulation EC 261/2004. "Airlines are required to rebook affected passengers to their final destinations at the earliest opportunity and provide Duty of Care—such as meals and hotel accommodations—in cases of significant delays," said Darina Kovacheva, Head of Legal at airline compensation specialist SkyRefund. Article continues below Passengers whose flights are cancelled or significantly delayed may opt for a full refund. Compensation eligibility depends on the nature of the strike: If the strike involves Finnair's own employees, eligible passengers may receive compensation ranging from €250 to €600, depending on the flight distance. If the disruption results from strikes by third-party staff, such as ground handlers not directly employed by the airline, the event is classified as an "extraordinary circumstance," and compensation is not owed. Nevertheless, passengers are advised to retain receipts for any related expenses. Finnair encourages customers traveling on affected dates to monitor their email and SMS messages for updates and to visit the airline's website for the latest travel information.
Reuters
5 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Finnair to cancel 110 flights on Friday due to industrial action
COPENHAGEN, May 28 (Reuters) - Finnair ( opens new tab said on Wednesday it would cancel around 110 flights on Friday due to industrial action at Helsinki airport, and that it expected the cancellations to affect around 8,000 of its customers.
Local France
7 days ago
- Local France
Which airlines are the worst for delays and cancellations in Europe in 2025?
The company Flightright , which publishes information related to flight disruptions and compensation in Europe, has released its ranking of the airlines with the most delays, based on the first few months of 2025. The company focused on the 20 airlines with the highest number of departures from European airports. Then, the company ranked airlines based on the highest number of delays (meaning at least 15 minutes late upon arrival). Overall, they found that all 20 airlines had at least 10 percent of their flights delayed by this metric. Advertisement Here is their ranking, from the highest number of delays to the lowest. TAP Portugal (37.14 percent of flights were delayed at least 15 minutes) Air France (22.65 percent) Swiss International (22.42 percent) Finnair (20.95 percent) Ryanair (20.73 percent) Easyjet (20.63 percent) KLM (19.68 percent) Buzz (17.41 percent) British Airways (16.91 percent) Vueling (16.71 percent) Norwegian Air Shuttle (16.61 percent) Aegean Airlines (16.54 percent) ITA Airways (15.71 percent) Eurowings (14.59 percent) Lufthansa (12.68 percent) SAS (12.38 percent) Aer Lingus (11.44 percent) Iberia (10.78 percent) Austrian (10.75 percent) Wizz Air (10.23 percent) As for cancellations, the company also ranked airlines from worst to best. While none of the airlines saw more than four percent of their flights cancelled, Finnair performed the worst with 3.35 percent of its flights cancelled. After that, KLM had 2.04 percent of its flights cancelled, and British Airways took third place with 1.58 percent of its flights cancelled. All other airlines had less than two percent of flights cancelled. Thanks to EU regulation, passengers are entitled to compensation for delayed flights and cancellations, which are proportional to the flight distance, as long as the delay or cancellation was not due to 'extraordinary circumstances'. READ MORE: Your rights on delayed or cancelled flights in France
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
American tourism faces a 'perfect storm'
A version of this article originally appeared in Quartz's members-only Weekend Brief newsletter. Quartz members get access to exclusive newsletters and more. Sign up here. On a recent Finnair flight from Helsinki to Los Angeles, something felt off. The economy cabin — typically packed with tourists eager to explore California's beaches and theme parks — was less than half full. A flight to Europe two months earlier had been packed to the gills, but this flight had entirely empty rows, a stark reminder that America's appeal as a travel destination has taken a beating this year. That half-empty plane tells a bigger story about American tourism in 2025, one that's playing out just as Memorial Day weekend — traditionally the unofficial start of the summer travel season — approaches with cautious optimism rather than the usual fanfare. The U.S. tourism industry is facing what experts are calling a 'perfect storm' of challenges. According to data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), America is on track to lose $12.5 billion in travel revenue this year — making it the only country out of 184 analyzed that's projected to see tourism dollars decline in 2025. International visitor spending is expected to fall to less than $169 billion by year's end, a 7% drop from 2024 and a staggering 22% decline from tourism's pre-pandemic peak in 2019. The WTTC said it could take until 2030 for U.S. tourism to bounce back to pre-COVID numbers. The reasons are complex but interconnected. A strong dollar has made American vacations prohibitively expensive for many international visitors. Stories about strict border controls and immigration enforcement have created hesitation among potential travelers. And the Trump administration's 'America First' rhetoric, while popular domestically, has sent a chilling message to international markets, according to tourism industry leaders. 'Other countries are really rolling out the welcome mat, and it feels like the U.S. is putting up a 'we are closed' sign at their doorway,' Julia Simpson, WTTC's president and CEO, told Bloomberg. The pain is especially acute along the Canadian border, where 66% of businesses in New York's 'north country' have already experienced significant decreases in Canadian bookings for 2025. New York City, typically a magnet for international visitors, has revised its 2025 projections downward by 400,000 tourists and $4 billion in tourism spending. California, despite setting tourism records in 2024, forecasts about a 1% overall decline in visitation and a 9% drop in international visitors this year. Read more: America's airport meltdown is coming at the worst possible time The challenges aren't limited to international visitors. Americans themselves, rattled by economic uncertainty and concerns about potential tariffs, are pulling back on travel spending. This domestic retreat is hitting major travel companies hard. Expedia's stock dropped more than 7% earlier this monthafter reporting weaker-than-expected U.S. travel demand, with CEO Ariane Gorin telling investors that 'U.S. demand was soft, driven by declining consumer sentiment.' Two-thirds of Expedia's business comes from the U.S., making the company particularly vulnerable to domestic travel slowdowns. The picture isn't entirely grim. While Americans are cutting back on travel overall, many are simply shifting their plans rather than canceling them outright. Bank of America data reveals that domestic travel is up 3% as Americans, facing economic uncertainty, opt to explore closer to home rather than expensive overseas trips. And the recent rebound in some international markets offers hope. April saw an 8% increase in overseas visitors compared to the previous year, largely driven by a recovery in Western European travel after March's significant decline. The timing of Easter — which fell in April this year versus March in 2024 — contributed to the bump. Airlines are scrambling to adjust their operations as traveler sentiment deteriorates. The Conference Board's confidence survey found that Americans intending to fly in the next six months fell more than 12% from January. Major carriers are responding by slashing capacity — Delta is cutting its summer schedule after describing it as 'overbuilt,' while United is retiring 21 aircraft early and reducing flights in Canadian markets. The industry's challenges extend beyond shifting demand. Airlines are grappling with fresh operational disruptions that have shaken passenger confidence. Air traffic control failures at major hubs like Newark and Atlanta have caused widespread flight delays and cancellations, with outdated radar systems and severe staffing shortages plaguing the country's busiest airports. Newark has been in near-constant disruption since late April, forcing United Airlines to cancel dozens of flights daily. 'I've had more friends, colleagues and acquaintances say they don't want to fly right now than normal, not because they're scared of crashes, but because they don't want to deal with delays and cancellations,' William McGee, senior fellow for aviation and travel at the American Economic Liberties Project, told CNN. Industry experts such as Adam Sacks from Tourism Economics warn that the worst may be yet to come. 'We believe that pure leisure travel will be the most reactive and we're not quite in the peak window yet,' he told The New York Times. 'I expect as we get into May, June and July the effects will be more pronounced.' For now, that half-empty Helsinki-to-LAX flight serves as a quiet reminder that America's brand as the world's premier travel destination isn't guaranteed. While domestic travelers may be filling some of those empty seats this Memorial Day weekend, the international visitors who typically stay longer and spend more are increasingly choosing destinations like Mexico, the Caribbean, and other markets that offer easier entry and warmer receptions. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
