Finnair has revealed that it will begin flying to Seattle next year. The airline will operate three flights per week to the west coast destination. Launching such a route could pave the way for a codeshare agreement between Finnair, and its oneworld partner airline, Alaska Airlines.
Seattle is slowly gaining popularity among oneworld airlines. Next summer, the city will welcome flights from six of the 14 alliance member airlines that will serve the city, according to data from Cirium. Just under a year ago, Qatar Airways started flying to and from the city in response to Alaska Airlines joining the alliance.
Finnair eyes Seattle
Finnair, one of the founding members of the oneworld alliance, has become the latest in a series of airlines to announce flights to Seattle. According to the carrier, flights will begin on June 1st from Helsinki. They will operate three times a week, leaving their home base on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Finnair is yet to reveal the exact flight schedule, with tickets for the route not yet on sale. When Qatar Airways launched flights to the city, it was initially planned to be operated with the Airbus A350. This was then changed to the Boeing 777, partly out of respect that Boeing builds aircraft in Seattle. Finnair only operates widebody Airbus aircraft, meaning that it will need the A330 or A350 for the route.
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A precursor to more codeshare agreements?
Seattle makes sense for Finnair. The city is also a central hub for Alaska Airlines, which recently joined the same alliance as Finnair. Qatar Airways started flying to Seattle to take advantage of a codeshare agreement with its fellow alliance member. As such, it would make sense for Finnair to develop a codeshare agreement with Alaska Airlines to incorporate Seattle.
Increased Los Angeles frequencies will remain
While we’re on the topic of Los Angeles, Finnair has revealed that it will continue flying to Los Angeles, and not just from its home in Helsinki. Earlier this year, the airline began flying a couple of long-haul routes from Stockholm, the capital city of neighboring country Sweden.
Today, the airline revealed that it would continue operating flights to New York’s JFK and Los Angeles International Airport from Seattle over the 2022 summer period. From May 1st, the airline will up its frequencies on the route to four times a week.
Commenting on the new offerings, the airline’s Chief Financial Officer, Ole Orvér, said,
“We are delighted to offer more connections between the US and Northern Europe. Seattle is a fantastic destination for leisure travellers who enjoy vibrant city life and beautiful nature. We also expect this new connection to be a pleasant surprise for many business travellers.”
What do you make of Finnair’s new route to Seattle? Let us know what you think and why in the comments!
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