#Finnair Unveils More Holiday Flights to #Greece and #Cyprus

Finnair strengthens services between the Eastern Mediterranean and Finland in 2015 in support of its ex-pat community with holiday homes and the usual Finns who worship the sun. From the news, I note how Finnair plans to serve Crete, Greece with scheduled Summer flights for the first time having previously run charters on a regular basis. The flag carrier of Finland plans six direct weekly flights between Chania and Helsinki next year starting on April 18, 2015. Airbus A321 Sharklet aircraft will be used. In addition Finnair will run twice weekly direct services between Heraklion and Helsinki from April 17 also using the A321 Sharklet.

Finnair adds to its Greece schedules five return flights between Rhodes and Helsinki from 19 April and a weekly flight with the island of Kos from 9 May (A320).

Cyprus is not left out with a weekly return flight between Paphos and Helsinki using an A320 from March 31.

I hope Finnair promotes its hub in Helsinki as a great transfer and transit point for travellers from Asia to places in Greece. This would certainly be opening up a new long haul market for long haul market to the country via Helsinki which is the closest European city to the Far East. An oh-by-the-way, Finland maintains honorary consulates in various Greek cities. For Crete, there are two consular offices; one in Chania (serving Rethymnon and Western Crete) and the other in Hersonissos (serving Heraklion and Eastern Crete) . Contact details.

Photo Caption: Finnair is the first airline to operate Airbus A321 aircraft with fuel-saving Sharklet wingtip attachments to be used on several of its new Mediterranean services in 2015. These devices cause reduced drag, thereby enhancing fuel efficiency. Finnair selected IAE V2533-A5 engines for its order of five A321s with Sharklets delivered in 2013.