Finnair, which commenced daily operations from Delhi, last year, has now launched its Mumbai operations with five flights a week starting June 27, 2007. Finnair has inducted the A340 aircraft with a two-class configuration for our Mumbai services. The fare on offer for Mumbai to other European destinations starts at INR 18,500, while from Mumbai to Scandinavian destinations starts at INR 20,000. The airline is optimistic and expects a load factor of 60-70 per cent from Mumbai to Helsinki. Â"We will eventually also look at a daily service from Mumbai," says Ambarish Mukherjee, Sales Manager - India (West & South Region), Finnair.
According to Mukherjee, Finnair has also worked out inter-line agreements with Jet Airways, Air India, Kingfisher and Indian to cater to cities where they do not have flights, such as Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Bhubaneshwar, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Chandigarh.

Â"Apart from Mumbai, this flight would be very convenient for passengers from neighboring cities like Pune, Ahmedabad etc.  The Mumbai route also gives Finnair onward connections to destinations all over India,Â" informed Taina Tornstrom, director Indian Subcontinent, Finnair.

The airline is targeting mariners and students and is offering a special allowance of 10 kg extra luggage. Apart from that, the airline is also working on an Indian menu, with special focus on vegetarian and Jain meals to cater to its Indian passengers. The airline is also looking at a strategic plan to promote its exotic winter packages. "Our USP is that we have Santa Claus as our Brand Ambassador, helping us aggressively promote the winter packages. We plan to work closely with the Finish Tourism Board and Scandinavian Tourism Board as we plan to target the incentive market," informs Mukherjee.