Finnair’s pilots had a strike for two days last week(read more here) that resulted in cancellations of hundreds of flights and many inconvenienced passengers, although the airline was able to reroute the majority.
Finnair and its pilots have still not come up with an acceptable agreement for both parties. Although pilots are not currently on strike, they have decided not to work on standby, which will lead to sudden flight cancellations if someone calls in sick or cannot work on a specific flight, as the airline cannot call in a reserve pilot.
You can access Finnair here.
Note that Finnair has not released any statements about this ban on standby flights, but there will be many due to the year-end travel rush.
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.
I went through Helsinki-Vantaa last night, and Finnair had canceled the last two rotations to London Heathrow (hundreds of passengers with missed long-haul connections) and canceled flights to New York, Tromso, Berlin, and Copenhagen.
Finnair’s EC 261/2004 Notice:
Conclusion
Finnair’s outsourced ground services in Helsinki are also failing. Last week, it took 75 minutes to get a bag from an incoming long-haul flight, and my bag was not loaded onto a connecting flight last night when I transited through HEL(L).
Also, Finnair’s outsourced ground handler at Heathrow (Menzies Aviation) must have had their most incompetent team working on yesterday morning’s flight to HEL. I have never seen a gate agent have to clear each passenger and weigh their carry-ons.
I told the lead flight attendant that we would probably not leave for another two hours due to Menzies, but we only left an hour late.
I would avoid flying on Finnair right now until they reach an agreement with their pilot union, as there will be many last-minute cancellations and rebooking options around Christmas and the New Year and slim.
