Finnair co-pilot waves two flags on inaugural landing
Finnair was greeted with a water salute on the tarmac after landing at YYZ last night, followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Terminal 3, presided over by Finland’s Canadian ambassador, Hanna-Leena Korteniemi, before returning to Helsinki a few hours later.
“As you probably noticed at the gate, it’s our inaugural flight from Toronto after a decade’s hiatus,” Captain Tomi Lahti said while welcoming passengers aboard AY032 on 04MAY. “It’s nice to be back in Canada.”
Open Jaw settled into Business Class for the eight-hour flight on the Airbus A330, testing out the airline’s spacious AirLounge seats with their pod-like, no-recline design, a welcome Champagne, meals that included hot-smoked salmon and salmon mousse on pumpernickel, and a travel kit designed by Finland’s iconic Marimekko.
Finland’s Ambassador to Canada Hanna-Leena Korteniemi (second from left), Finnair’s GM North America Javier Roig Sanchez, Finnair’s Communications Manager Mia Eloranta and GTAA’s Carl Jones (head of aviation business development) are flanked by two Finnair crew (Katja Podduikin and Konsta Kovanen) at a ribbon cutting at YYZ Terminal 3.
Now we’ll spend the week exploring the Nordic country to learn why it has just been named the World’s Happiest Country for the ninth year in a row.
The non-stop, seasonal Toronto-Helsinki route operates Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays through August with a choice of Business, Premium Economy and Economy cabins.
Finnair service motivator Toni Puustinen
It’s the first time Finnair has flown to Canada since 2015, and YYZ is its seventh North America gateway. Finland’s national carrier is a OneWorld Alliance member; its partnership with WestJet facilitates connections from cities like Edmonton, Calgary and Ottawa.
Finnair’s home hub, Helsinki, offers Canadians year-round flights to Lapland, where visitors can experience the northern lights, midnight sun and reindeer, but it also provides easy connections to Europe, Scandinavia, the Baltics, Asia and even India.
Water salute at YYZ for Finnair arrival in Toronto
“Having that connectivity to that important Helsinki hub is fantastic,” Robert Kokonis, president and managing director of Toronto-based AirTrav, said yesterday during a lunch hosted by Finnair and the Embassy of Finland in Canada.
“Finnair is a great airline with 103 years of service. They’ve got a track record. They know what they’re doing.”
Kokonis, who married a Finn and once worked for Finnair, is especially curious to see how Toronto’s price-sensitive South Asian diaspora responds to the option of connecting to New Delhi through Helsinki.
Finnair GM North America Javier Roig Sanchez
As Javier Roig Sanchez, Finnair’s general manager, North America, explained, Helsinki Vantaa airport (HEL) has one terminal, so everything is under one roof, and the minimum connection time is just 40 minutes.
“It’s a bit scary — I can see it in your faces, but it works,” he said.
The Toronto luncheon, which showcased Finnish-inspired food, including savoury Karelian pastries catered by Elle Cuisine, was held at the Scotia Plaza offices of Miller Thomson LLP, where Finland’s Honourary Consul, Peter Auvinen, practices.
“The inaugural Finnair flight between Toronto and Helsinki represents a strengthened connection between Canada and Finland, between countries and people who have similar values,” said Ambassador Korteniemi.
Finnair Senior Cabin Crew Konsta Kovanen and Chief Purser Katja Podduikin
“For visitors, Finland offers something increasingly rare — space to breathe, time to think and experiences that feel genuine,” she said. “From vibrant urban culture in Helsinki to calm forests, clean lakes and the tradition of sauna, Finland invites people to slow down and to reconnect.”
On tap for Open Jaw this week are Finland’s famous saunas, stays at five-star and Michelin Key hotels, meals at top restaurants, visits to Marimekko headquarters and other design companies, a tour of Helsinki’s splashy library and an overnight trip to the town of Porvoo.
Roig Sanchez expects that, as well as exploring Finland, Canadians will be keen to connect to Norway, Sweden, Poland and the north of Germany. He’s already seeing demand for India.
Acknowledging that the Russian airspace is closed due to the war with Ukraine, he stressed that Finnair has fuel needs for almost a whole year and that “our network will be stable all this year.”
Sleeping in the AirLounge seat in Business Class on Finnair
On a lighter note, Roig Sanchez pointed out that Finnair became the official airline of Santa Claus in 1983.
“The real Santa Claus is living in Finland in an airport called Rovaniemi, which is by the Arctic Circle, where we fly all year round, and this is what we call Lapland,” he explained.
The ambassador wrapped up her speech by talking about how Finns slowly warmed to the notion of being named the happiest country in the world, wondering at first how miserable the rest of the world was for them to win.
“Finland is not trying to be louder than others. It offers something different — authenticity, credibility, calm confidence,” she said. “I’m pleased that Finnair is making it possible for the Canadians to taste this secret happiness sauce.”
Later, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, we couldn’t help but notice the message quietly emblazoned on the navy ribbon: “Feel the Finnish happiness.”
Robert Kokonis of AirTrav and Honourary Consul of Finland Peter Auvinen