Finnair A350 XWB starts on Singapore route

The much anticipated Finnair A350 XWB aircraft on Singapore – Helsinki route departed Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) Terminal 1 for the first time on Monday 17 October. The inaugural flight departure was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and meet-and-greet with the Finnish Ambassador to Singapore HE Paula Parviainen.

This first A350 journey on the Singapore destination marks a significant milestone for the aviation industry. Not only is Finnair the first European airline to fly the A350 between Europe and Asia, but is now providing local travellers with the shortest connection between the two continents. On arrival into Helsinki, travellers can seamlessly transit through Helsinki Airport and connect onto over 70 destinations in Europe such as London, Paris, Amsterdam in as little as 35 minutes.

“This moment heralds a new and exciting chapter in Finnair’s 92 year history. The A350 is the future of flying and we intend to revolutionise the flying experience for our Singapore passengers with our customised features and Nordic touch,” said Mikko Turtiainen, Vice President, Global Sales at Finnair. “We are firmly focused on growing our presence in Asia-Europe traffic, and the launch of the A350 on our Singapore – Helsinki route is key to our strategy. Our overall investment in a fleet of A350´s has been integral to building global growth,” Turtiainen continued.

The A350 fleet investment is the backbone of Finnair’s strategy to double its Asian traffic by 2020 from the 2010 baseline, and increase its cargo capacity by up to 50%.