Finnair marks anniversary of long-haul flights

Finnair is this week celebrating the 40th anniversary of its launch of long-haul flights.

The carrier operated its first long-haul service, from Helsinki to New York, on May 15th 1969 and has offered flights to the US city ever since.

Owing to the restrictions of the aircraft used at the time, Finnair had to operate its maiden New York flight via Copenhagen and Amsterdam.

Non-stop flights began in 1984 - when Finnair acquired its wide-bodied DC-10 aircraft - and since then the airline has expanded its New York service to the point that it now flies to the city on a daily basis.

Forty years after it first began operating long-haul flights, the carrier is expanding with developments at its Helsinki Vantaa base and a renewal of its aircraft fleet.

Finnair's existing long-haul network includes flights to Tokyo, Bangkok and Hong Kong.

Posted by Mike, 14 May 2009 17:58

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