Next week, on Wednesday 4 March, Finnair will begin direct flights from
Helsinki to Istanbul, Turkey. The first flight departs from Helsinki-Vantaa
Airport on Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. and returns back to Helsinki in the
evening.
"With the introduction of Istanbul, our route network will provide more
comprehensive coverage of the whole continent. Due to efficient connections, we
can offer flights from Turkey via Helsinki to Scandinavia, the Baltic countries
and the whole Asian network," explains Finnair's Vice President Route Strategy
and Traffic Planning Petteri Kostermaa.
Initially, Finnair will fly to Istanbul twice per week, on Wednesdays and
Saturdays. The number of flights per week will be increased to four on 30
March, after which the flights will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays
and Saturdays.
The flight time to Istanbul, which has a population of 12 million, is 3 hours
and 15 minutes. Finnair will operate the Istanbul route with both Airbus 319-
and Embraer 190 aircraft.
Finnair Plus Platinum, Gold and Silver members, oneworld Emerald and Sapphire
members and Finnair Business Class passengers are welcome to use the Millennium
lounge at Istanbul Airport before their flight departure. The Millennium lounge
is located in the departure gate area, after passport control and security
check, escalator up to the second floor.
Turkey's capital Istanbul, formerly Constantinople, is a mixture of past and
present, Asia and Europe, Eastern and Western culture. The city's glittering
history is apparent in the minarets of its mosques, the splendour of its
sultans' palaces and in the art treasures of its museums.
Turkey is renowned as an inexpensive beach holiday destination. The country has
1,500 kilometres of sandy beaches and in some areas the sun shines for 300 days
per year. Visitors are attracted by the sun, the white, shimmering sand, the
turquoise sea, captivating customs and multicultural experiences.
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