Is This the Future of Business Class? 13hrs on Finnair's No-Recline A350 - Helsinki to Singapore
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- Опубликовано: 15 май 2024
- Hello and welcome to Istanbul! My entire itinerary includes three flights: Istanbul - Helsinki - Singapore, and then Hong Kong. The total duration of this exciting journey comes close to 52 hours, and I get to enjoy business class services with three different airlines, all for the affordable price of AU$2200. I consider this an absolute bargain, which is why I booked these tickets.
In this video, I will be focusing on Finnair's exclusive flagship lounge in the non-Schengen zone: the Platinum Wing. I'll also be exploring Finnair's newly-refurbished A350 Business Class, featuring Collin’s AirLounge seats. What makes these seats unique is that they don't recline. Instead, the seat-back seamlessly blends with the sidewall, creating a semi-enclosed cocoon-like structure designed to resemble a piece of classic Nordic furniture rather than a simple airline seat. Curious about my experience? Let's dive in!
This video includes two flights,
On 12 June 2023:
Turkish Airlines TK1761
Istanbul (IST) to Helsinki (HEL)
Scheduled flight time: 3h45m
Distance: 2,136 km (1,327 mi)
TC-LSU, Airbus A321-271NX, 3 years old
Seat: 5A
Class: Business
On 13 June 2023:
Finnair AY131
Helsinki (HEL) to Singapore (SIN)
Scheduled flight time: 13h5m
Distance: approx 11,265 km (7,000 mi) incl. a 1,400 km (870 mi) detour due to the war
On-time performance: 89%
OH-LWE, Airbus A350-941, 7 years old
Seat: 8A
Class: Business
00:00 Istanbul
01:35 Turkish Airlines Business Lounge
02:02 Turkish Airlines A321neo to Helsinki
03:33 Helsinki-Vantaa Airport
04:37 Finnair Platinum Wing Lounge
06:22 Platinum Wing Food
07:43 Platinum Wing Shower and Sauna
09:19 Finnair Business Lounge
10:49 Sunset at 10:46pm??!!!!
12:07 The New A350 Business Class
13:18 Take-off
14:16 Collin's AirLounge seat features
15:57 The Five-course Dinner
18:51 Seat -- Flat bed
19:21 In-flight entertainment
20:55 Sleep
22:04 The snack bar
23:27 Breakfast
24:14 Summary
25:30 Landing Singapore
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Surprise!! Well done. Well Edited, well shot and well narrated. Keep up the good work Rory. Cheers mate.
Thank you 😊😊
Brilliant video as always Rory - keep up the amazing work!!
Awesome Rory, great video. You really find some bargains! - Looking forward to the next installment!
Thank you 😊
Thanks for the video Rory! Always enjoy your channel 😀
Thank you 😊
What a crazy itinerary! :-0
Very well put together vlog Rory. Informative & Fun. Safe Travels on your adventures.
So good we have you representing the Aussie travel reviewer space! Keep up the amazing work 🎉
Thank you 😊😊
Great video as always Rory!
Thank you 😊
Great video!!! You have an eye for details. Keep up the great work you do.👍👍. Cheers.
Thank you 😊
Love it Rory. Taking me places I'd love to visit, and well may do. Thank you 😘
Thank you 😊
Hi Rory, I just subbed to your Channel last night been binge watching your travel vlogs and I have been living vicariously through your videos and they're relaxing and calming for me, so Thank you for all that you do for us viewers 😊❤
Hi! Rory. What an amazing long flight! starting from Istanbul. Am sure you had an enjoyable flight with business class and lounge access. Funny being served breakfast on arrival into Singapore in the evening. Thank You for sharing this informative and interesting well edited vlog. Looking forward to your next upload. Cheers!
Thank you Bernard 😊
Fantastic video, Rory. Finnair looks great, lucky you.
Thank you 😊
Another great video Rory!
Thank you 😊
I always enjoy your videos Rory you have enthusiasm which makes it entertaining. Thanks mate
Thank you ☺️
Having done a trip booked directly with Finnair I agree that they have a great product.
Our flights (also in June) which were multi leg SYD-HKG-HEL-TLL and OSL-HEL-SIN-SYD, that went seamlessly considering the tight connections. The SYD-HKG leg was operated by QF and the SIN -SYD leg by SQ.
Great flight review! Thanks a lot and greetings from Frank, Najomtien, Thailand
Thank you 😊
Great review Rory, very thorough in detail. My tastebuds were salivating at that meal from Helsinki… impressed with the facilities on the A350, Its on my bucket list now with your great review. Safe travels Rory!
Thank you 😊
Nice one mate. Enjoyed it.
Thank you 😊
Another Fantastic job, Thank you
Thanks 😊
Hi Rory 👋 I really enjoyed this review and I must say that you have come a long way since your very first video and I am very proud to have been here from the beginning. I am looking forward to your next presentation. Well done, Rory 👍 👏
Thank you John 😊
I will never make the trips you make, but I will travel with you via RUclips ;-) I enjoy all the videos you make of your train journeys and flying adventures and the way you explain and show everything. The meals and snacks you try almost always look super tasty and your healthy appetite is great to see! I also appreciate your respectful comments. Thank you from a 68-year-old grandmother from the Netherlands:-) 👍🙏🤗
Yeah, you snagged quite a bargain. The Finnair flight was especially exceptional - I was really curious about those seats when I read your title, and they did not disappoint at all. The longest uninterrupted flight I've ever been on was Dallas to Sydney business class, and the chair was pretty amazing, too - it could give a back massage better than anyone. 😀
Hi Rory, I was lucky enough to go to the Helsinki lounge. I absolutely loved it, Not big, but amazing feel, great services and views. These videos are great
Another interesting documentary. I always look forward to Rory's videos, this has been of the usual extremely high standard. Well done... Roger... Pembrokeshire UK
Thank you Roger 😊
Great review, I flew Bkk to Hel and back to Singapore on their 350 in that new seat . I really liked it and found it very comfortable. I was very impressed with Finnair
Thanks for the info + video!
Thank you 😊
I confess that my favourite part of your reviews is always the food.
Thank you! My favourite part of flying/travelling is also food 😂😂
@@RoryDing your stomach seems to be a bottomless pit 🤣
Very informative and useful, thanks!
Nice One Rory, as always🌟
Hi Rory very good video. Finnair looks really nice meals were excellent. Hope you had a good trip.
Thank you 😊
Thank you for such a magnificent journey.
Thank you 😊
Fun to watch!
Thank you 😊
Love your in-depth detailed commentary. The food looks amazing. Cheers Lynne Victoria Australia 🇦🇺🐨😃👍🏻
Thank you 😊
As well as all the relevant information your videos have such great videography, I especially enjoyed the shots of Istanbul at the start and the A350, both with great sunset/sunrise lighting. They are always at the right pace as well. The price you got almost made me fall off my seat, that is fantastic bang per buck.
I have to say Turkish Airlines european business class puts BA to shame both on the seats and that great meal. The lounges in Helsinki both good, the premier one did look fantastic.
Having a broken spine the only way I could use the non reclining seats would be if they provided enough cushions to support my back in a 45 degree position, but they seemed to do that.
Looking forward to Cathay Pacific trip now. All the best.
Thank you for watching the entire video! I'm delighted that Turkish Airlines chose not to follow the trend of European airlines when it comes to business class on narrow-body jets 😅.
the sunset/sunrise footage is gorgeous
Thank you 😊
Wow that looks so luxurious!
No pie tho 😜😂
forgot to mention... beautiful review as always Rory...😎
Lovely review Rory. Your my favourite airline reviewer 😊. Rory could you mention where you got this cheap business fare and what were load factors like. Thanks
I booked these flights directly on Finnair’s website. The last time I checked those fares are still there!
Finnair has two versions of refurbished A350s, one with 43 business class seats and the other with 30, it uses the 43-seat version on flights to Singapore and the business cabin was almost full on my flight.
Your videos are the best Rory!!! Thanks for making them, I really enjoy watching them.
Thank you so much ☺️
totally agree re the ticket's value Rory I've not flown Finnair and will definitely keep an eye out now (as always I love how much you enjoyed the meals!)
lovely review , and superb food!
Great report! I have try Finn.
Thank you 😊
Very welcome! ;)@@RoryDing
Another video this is just perfect and hello from the Melbourne to South Australia woman 👩 💖💖💖💖💖 love your videos 💖🇦🇺
Thank you 😊
And hello 😄
Excellent video Rory, very informative and polished presentation. I have watched your videos for some time now and they just keep getting better. 😊
Thank you 😊 glad you like my videos ☺️☺️
Packed with useful info as per usual. I always look forward to your well made presentations Rory.
Thank you 😊
This Finnair business class product does seem to be an improvement over the older one. The old one was just awful with rock hard seats, terrible lighting and food that was pretty much straight out of economy class. Maybe I’ll try it again one day.
Which site do you usually buy tickets from?
The price seemed incredibly low. Thank you for the video. You are good. 👍
He still hasn't replied, best to stop watching his video's.
Thanks for a video with masses of detail. Perhaps the most important thing not mentioned Rory is that AY cannot overfly Russia. Hence its schedules from HEL to Asia are not competitive as they used to be and especially for NE Asia. Hence AY has economic problems and has been making cutbacks. You were fortunate in J class but in Y class, on some long routes, only *one meal* is complimentary. If you want a second light meal you now have to pay for it. Also cutbacks with the AY loyalty scheme, lounge catering/drinks etc.
Thank you for the info! I agree that Finnair has made a lot of cutbacks on their services, especially in economy. I'm glad they have refurbished their cabins, though, and hopefully, when it all ends, they will bounce back again!
@@RoryDing Indeed. In 1988 it was AY who was the first European/Nordic airline to gain the rights to overfly USSR and Mongolia to China. And AY's Asian network changed forever. Pre-pandemic iAY offered the shortest flights Europe to NE Asia. If you compare its current Asian network to the one pre-Covid you will see what I mean ... AY served so many points in China and Japan.
SAS gained the same rights a few months after AY and I was on the inaugural SAS flight CPH-PEK in November 1988. Whether AY will bounce back is a moot point. We shall have to wait until after the Ukraine conflict is resolved.
Would Russia be willing to grant overflying rights now that Finland and Sweden are about to join Nato ? So as you can see politics influences how some long-haul airlines can operate.
Very nice video thank you
Thank you 😊
A bit different than when I flew from Helsinki, airport had about 3 gates & nothing else. Lol
Yeah they have expanded the non-Schengen area not long ago 😀 the Schengen area was also very crowded when I last went in 2020.
@@RoryDing can't remember the airline we flew, there was a group of us there for a world dog show, I was at window seat economy & had a bread roll thrown at me from attendant. Lucky if 20 on entire plane. We were not amused.
A report that couldn't be better. Smart, to the point, packed with information. Pure pleasure to watch.
Thank you 😊
@@RoryDing And I want to add I am very critical....
Another brilliant video Rory. I agree that the lack of a midflight meal is disappointing as Qantas and Emirates both offer two meals and a snack in economy on flights of similar lengths. However, the new Finnair business class looks delightful.
Agreed. I think they should definitely serve a light snack between the two meals 😅😊
It's because AY is having to make cost cuts. It has lost market share for its flights from HEL to Asia because it cannot overfly Russia and therefore its flight schedules are not good. I mean just look at how long it takes for a flight out of HEL to NE Asia (compared to before the start of the Ukraine conflict).
Great video Rory, your attention to detail with filming and editing is amazing, all the small points appreciated. Even your subtitles are fantastic. I'd say almost television broadcast quality here (but still with a personal touch). Keep up the great work, you're a cut above the rest!
Thank you! 😅😊☺️☺️
I also flew Finnair business class. It's not that bad but you can't sit straight up. The seat is already reclined a bit and not comfortable to my preference. Service is well. I guess the promotion and bargains is because of the detour of Finnair flights from Helsinki to Asia with avoiding Russian and Ukrain airspace. The travel is about 1,5 hr additional of the detour. The longer duration distracts flying with Finnair despite the good service and compared to other flights that are able to fly directly or without detour (like Emirates).
I love how he respects peoples privacy by blurry effect, great vidoe sir. 😊
Thank you 😊
Hi Rory When you said Turkish Airlines has good food, and I can totally agree with you best in class. But what I really don’t like is the small leg room you get, especially if you’re flying long haul. Cheers
Hi Pete, Turkish Airlines mainly uses its A321neo for routes to Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. The flight time is normally no more than 6 hours, so legroom wasn't an issue on my 3-hour flight from Istanbul to Helsinki. It's actually a much better product than what other European airlines are offering in their narrow-body business class. 😊
Great video mate, I love your articulation! You aren't a poet in your spare time by any chance?
Nice Rory, I flew this exact same route in business class two weeks ago and I had the same mains, starters and dessert haha (I sat in 2K). Great video as always, I really enjoyed the seat. Only Q-suite is ahead for me so far
Agreed! I also think only Q-suite is bette than this one.
And no they don’t seem to change their menu often😂
AmaZing 😊😊Flight Vlog I Love ❤️ 😍 💖 It
Thank you 😊
I flew on the A330 with this seat recently I thought it was a fab seat for my trip.
that small divider of the seat was hiliarious... lol🤭
You mean on Turkish Airlines? It was hilarious indeed 😂 it was almost useless, should’ve made it longer
Where did you book the tickets? Was it Finnair? I didn't catch what you said.
Yes I booked directly with Finnair 😊
@@RoryDing AMAZING deal my friend!
25:28 how are you balancing your GoPro on the window?
I used a suction cup 😊
A great video Rory, as usual ! You are a big part of our Thursday or Friday night. I also have to say that I always love seeing the moment when the plane leaves the ground, it’s very riveting !
Thank you 😊
The business class seat pod is certainly unique. As a person who changes the position of a seat back fairly often (which is why I have a recliner at home), I’m not a fan at all of the Finnair seat - the idea of a 10 hour flight in a fixed position seat is not at all appealing to me. The oval-shaped tray table also looks really small. I give Finnair kudos for attempting something different (potato salad with a pea sauce - really?), but I certainly wouldn’t book a journey across the Atlantic on Finnair.
Me To Like The Food Aboard Turkish Airlines,I Havent Experience Finnair Nwe Cabins Yet.I Love The Blueberry Juice Aborard Finnair.Great Trip Report
Thanks! I love thé blueberry juice!! 😅😂
I’ve just booked this flight through Qantas as a rewards flight. I’m going BKK - HEL - HAM. The best thing is that the taxes were so cheap. $77AUD. Compare that with the Emirates taxes/charges for booking a rewards flight through Qantas
try london/perth direct on qantas business class rory. two meal services for the whole 18 hour flight, with a 14 hour gap between them. bzzzt.
LOVE your narration Rory!! Every video is just delightful and I wish you could organise a flight for me!😍Warmest regards from Perth Western Australia
Thank you! Google Flights is a great tool for trip planning. You can mix and match different city pairs to find the airline with the best price 😊.
Love your vlogs. From Adelaide.
Great review, fun to watch. I tried to book a ticket with Finnair's new business class HEL-AMS and checked that it was indeed the new refurbished cabin. When I got to the airport, the aircraft we were supposed to fly on had some problem so they swapped it into another A330 which still had the old BC from I think 2009. Was a bit dissapointed but atleast I got to experience the old one before it dissapears completely :)
Oh that’s a shame 😅 at least it’s still a wide body aircraft with proper business class
✈️✈️✈️
How do you afford it Cory ?
Another masterpiece thanks Rory. But how did you manage to get those flights so cheaply??
I do a lot of research to find interesting airlines to fly with at good prices, and one day I just found this Istanbul to Hong Kong route with Finnair! 😂
As always, Rory, such a great review! Great detail, factual, personal interpretation expression, and educational, actually! Thanks for not subjecting us to never-ending footage of aircraft lavatories, like some reviewers! 😉 Safe travels, my friend!
Thank you 😊😅
What is ample is your diction!! It feel as if i have taken this flight thx
Thank you 😊
Bom dia rosy Boa viagem que bom representa o espaço dos servidores
Thank you 😊
❤❤❤
You definitely got a bargain !
Excuse me, how did you find this excellent deal?
The Qantas Finnair product turns out to be a hybrid and it's completely different from the experience.
It's shame that Finnair doesn't offer First Class. As a free agent who does not have loyalty to any airline alliances and instead just fly paid F/J on airlines I want to fly, I would be disappointed not to get access to their Platinum Wing. In theory, if they had an actual First Class cabin, passengers flying First Class would get access to the Platinum Wing.
7:13 one would think the price of ketchup is the same as saffron these days. One of my pet peeves, being stingy with ketchup
Oh wow
Well spotted 😂😂😅
56mins ago posted 7 sept 2023 3.26pm
I posted at exactly 3pm Sydney time 😂
Very small breakfast, especially when you have such a long gap, in between meals
That’s why I always bring something!
For AUS2200, you certainly added a lot of CO2 to the atmosphere. A bargain!
If I were on a private jet, sure you can criticise all you want.
But the planes I took would be flying anyway, whether I'm on it or not…
thnx. Sorry meal looked poor. And not one touch of deluxe feeling like on SQ. NO FIRST CLASS CABIN. NO VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE.
Interesting. You call it a bold move and fair enough. For me, it's a clearly inferior business class product and thanks to you, I would never seek it out.
This product does get mixed reviews online but most are positive. I’d say try it before you judge it. The two pillows made a big difference, it felt like sitting on a couch. Most couches don’t recline 😊
You should never include those last 9 words in your comments in reviews! You can criticize but not shed bad light against the reviewer!
You should just end
“Thanks for the Review” “I’m now more informed because of this review and my own observation”
Yo're reading something into my comment that simply isn't there. I'm a big fan of Rory's videos and reviews and I'm not criticising him in any way.@@Iceyfire12
芬兰航空还是不错的 特喜欢蓝莓汁😂
Great video, thank you!
Just a couple of notes--not sure if someone beat me to it. Layover at HEL is probably faster when you transfer from a Non-Schengen flight to another Non-Schengen flight because you are technically not entering Finland/the Schengen zone. Some itineraries offered between European feeder flights and Finnair's intercontinental flights only have a 45 min layover, and I would NOT want to choose them--having to go through passport control & dash ~20 min mad dash to the gate (if you have a gate with a low number at HEL). Also, apparently the Schengen (European flights) zone Finnair lounge is like a zoo = far behind in quality compared to the one you went to.
We had a long-haul flight with Finnair in Biz in July, and I was not impressed with the seat. Could not sleep properly.
10hrs is a big gap between meals.
No I wouldn't worry about it being the future.
Business class without a reclining seat is not business class.
Excellent description of a high end business class flight, very enjoyable v/log,❤️🦘🦘🦘
Thank you 😊
Who on earth eats watermelon with cheese?
The watermelon with feta cheese is actually a popular salad in Türkiye.
ozlemsturkishtable.com/tag/turkish-watermelon-and-feta-salad/
@@RoryDing I find it bizarre.
I think you eat enough food for a week not 52 hours. I suggest you are going to drop dead in 5 years from cardiac arrest
The food I had across two days: breakfast on Turkish Airlines, lunch and dinner at the Finnair lounge, and then two main meals on Finnair the next day. I don't think that was too much? 😢
La Sam ya perdió el piso, sus narraciones han perdido credibilidad.
😂😅
finnair has always been penny counting airline. crap both in Y and C
Thanks for the video, I was going to book the same flight in business to BKK but after watching your video I won’t be doing that. I don’t think this seat will go over well with seasoned travellers, my understanding is that you also have to pay for seat selection even in business with Finnair, another show stopper as far as I’m concerned. When you pay a premium for business , or even premium economy for that matter you should not even see a seat selection menu based on extra cost. Sorry Finnsir you’ve lost me on your rationale for both the seat and selection cost.