{"id":75426,"date":"2026-05-05T17:39:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T17:39:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/75426\/"},"modified":"2026-05-05T17:39:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T17:39:15","slug":"aboard-finnairs-inaugural-flight-from-toronto-to-helsinki","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/75426\/","title":{"rendered":"Aboard Finnair\u2019s Inaugural Flight from Toronto to Helsinki"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\"FinnairFinnair co-pilot waves two flags on inaugural landing<\/p>\n

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\u2019s Canadian ambassador, Hanna-Leena Korteniemi, before returning to Helsinki a few hours later.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAs you probably noticed at the gate, it\u2019s our inaugural flight from Toronto after a decade\u2019s hiatus,\u201d Captain Tomi Lahti said while welcoming passengers aboard AY032 on 04MAY. \u201cIt\u2019s nice to be back in Canada.\u201d<\/p>\n

Open Jaw settled into Business Class for the eight-hour flight on the Airbus A330, testing out the airline\u2019s 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\u2019s iconic Marimekko.<\/p>\n

\"Finland\u2019sFinland\u2019s Ambassador to Canada Hanna-Leena Korteniemi (second from left), Finnair\u2019s GM North America Javier Roig Sanchez, Finnair\u2019s Communications Manager Mia Eloranta and GTAA\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Now we\u2019ll spend the week exploring the Nordic country to learn why it has just been named the World\u2019s Happiest Country for the ninth year in a row.<\/p>\n

The non-stop, seasonal Toronto-Helsinki route operates Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays through August with a choice of Business, Premium Economy and Economy cabins.<\/p>\n

\"FinnairFinnair service motivator Toni Puustinen<\/p>\n

\u00a0It\u2019s the first time Finnair has flown to Canada since 2015, and YYZ is its seventh North America gateway. Finland\u2019s national carrier is a OneWorld Alliance member; its partnership with WestJet facilitates connections from cities like Edmonton, Calgary and Ottawa.<\/p>\n

Finnair\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

\"WaterWater salute at YYZ for Finnair arrival in Toronto<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving that connectivity to that important Helsinki hub is fantastic,\u201d 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. <\/p>\n

\u201cFinnair is a great airline with 103 years of service. They\u2019ve got a track record. They know what they\u2019re doing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kokonis, who married a Finn and once worked for Finnair, is especially curious to see how Toronto\u2019s price-sensitive South Asian diaspora responds to the option of connecting to New Delhi through Helsinki.<\/p>\n

\"FinnairFinnair GM North America Javier Roig Sanchez<\/p>\n

As Javier Roig Sanchez, Finnair\u2019s 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a bit scary \u2014 I can see it in your faces, but it works,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s Honourary Consul, Peter Auvinen, practices.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe inaugural Finnair flight between Toronto and Helsinki represents a strengthened connection between Canada and Finland, between countries and people who have similar values,\u201d said Ambassador Korteniemi.<\/p>\n

\"FinnairFinnair Senior Cabin Crew Konsta Kovanen and Chief Purser Katja Podduikin<\/p>\n

\u201cFor visitors, Finland offers something increasingly rare \u2014 space to breathe, time to think and experiences that feel genuine,\u201d she said. \u201cFrom vibrant urban culture in Helsinki to calm forests, clean lakes and the tradition of sauna, Finland invites people to slow down and to reconnect.\u201d<\/p>\n

On tap for Open Jaw this week are Finland\u2019s 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\u2019s splashy library and an overnight trip to the town of Porvoo.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s already seeing demand for India.<\/p>\n

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 \u201cour network will be stable all this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"SleepingSleeping in the AirLounge seat in Business Class on Finnair<\/p>\n

On a lighter note, Roig Sanchez pointed out that Finnair became the official airline of Santa Claus in 1983.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe 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,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cFinland is not trying to be louder than others. It offers something different \u2014 authenticity, credibility, calm confidence,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m pleased that Finnair is making it possible for the Canadians to taste this secret happiness sauce.\u201d<\/p>\n

Later, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, we couldn\u2019t help but notice the message quietly emblazoned on the navy ribbon: \u201cFeel the Finnish happiness.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"RobertRobert Kokonis of AirTrav and Honourary Consul of Finland Peter Auvinen<\/p>\n

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