Finnair pilots were on strike for two days before Christmas (read more here) and then had a ban on standby and overtime duty (read more here), leading to many last-minute flight cancellations.
The airline and its pilot union had a truce for the Christmas and New Year travel period during which the pilot halted these actions, but they continue again from Monday (January 6, 2025). You can expect many last-minute flight cancellations.
You can access Finnair here.
There are usually always pilots on standby to cover those who call in sick or are otherwise incapable of fulfilling their flight roster, i.e., mandatory rest period.
There will be no standby pilots to cover these instances, except for some management pilots who are not part of the union.
Remember that employee strikes are NOT considered an extraordinary circumstance regarding EC 261/2004 compensation and Duty to Care requirements.
The airline must rebook you to your final destination at the earliest opportunity and provide Duty to Care (accommodation and meals) in case of long delays and cancellations.
The EC 261/2004 delay compensation also applies if your flight is canceled or you arrive late at your final destination.
Finnair’s Air Passenger Rights EC 261/2004 Notice:
Finnair Strike Coverage:
Finnair Cancels 300 Flights For December 9 -14, 2024 Due To Pilot Strike
Finnair’s Last Minute Flight Cancellations Due To Pilot Dispute
Finnair’s Christmas & New Year Truce With Its Pilot Union
Conclusion
Apparently, the cabin crew contract has also run out or is about to, based on the conversation I have had with the Finnair flights that I took in December, so there might be other disputes coming down the road once this pilot one is resolved.
Finnair will probably try to keep those on canceled flights on their metal, but they are required, by law, to rebook affected passengers to their final destinations even when this means booking them on airlines such as Emirates and Singapore Airlines.
Remember to save your receipts for all the extra expenses, such as accommodation and meals, incurred due to delayed or canceled flights, as Finnair is also responsible for them.
During the previous pilot overtime and standby work ban, there were an average of 8 to 16 cancellations per day, some due to the work-to-rule.
