While Easyjet is pulling its connections between the UK and Finland, Finnish carrier Blue 1 is opting to expand.
Budget airline Blue 1, a subsidiary of Scandinavian airline SAS, has started a twice-weekly service between Edinburgh and Helsinki.
Edinburgh will be Blue1’s second destination in the UK – it already operates flights between London Heathrow and Helsinki.
Finland has been seen as an unprofitable destination by other budget airlines from the UK, however.
From June 13 Easyjet is planning drop its flights from Manchester to Helsinki, followed by services out of London Gatwick on June 22.
Buzz (a budget airline owned by Holland’s KLM) once tackled this 1,100 mile route out of London Stansted but also failed to make it a success
Blue 1, however, obviously hopes it can make its second UK route profitable. It is the only airline to link the two capitals.
The Finnish airline will operate the route with a two-class (Premium and economy) Boeing 717-200.
Flight SK8365 from Edinburgh will leave at 8.20pm on Mondays and Fridays, arriving into Helsinki at 1.05am the next day.
From Helsinki, flight SK8364 will leave at 6.50pm on Mondays and Fridays, arriving into Edinburgh at 7.40pm.
www.blue1.com