From now on, the latest onboard product can be found on all Finnair long-haul flights. The Oneworld member has retrofitted the cabins of all Airbus A330 and A350 aircraft in just over two years.
For passengers, this means:
- Revamped seats in economy class
- Introduction of premium economy class as an additional travel class
- New AirLounge business class seats with no recline
It’s impressive how quickly the aircraft retrofit was completed. The new cabin was only announced in February 2022 and was airborne just a few weeks later. Now, in June 2024, there is a consistent onboard product across the entire long-haul fleet. In contrast, Lufthansa’s new Allegris cabin, announced in 2017, is currently found in just two (!) aircraft.
Finnair’s New Business Class: Mixed Feelings
Many will miss the old onboard product (in the A350) rather than celebrate the new business class. We were able to test the seat with a fixed backrest shortly after its introduction and have flown with it several more times since.
Our conclusion always remains the same: the seat is uncomfortable for sitting, and the lack of a lounge mode for watching movies diminishes the experience. However, the lie-flat sleeping comfort is quite good, especially for side sleepers due to the wide sleeping surface. You can find our review here:
At the same time, there are many fans of the new seat concept. So if you haven’t tried the AirLounge yet, it might be worth giving it a shot.
How satisfied are you with the new Finnair cabin? Feel free to leave a comment.
Source: Finnair
Cover Picture: Ditmar Lange
Comments (2)
I have stopped using Finnair because the new seats. Flying 6 to 8 trips from Scandinavia to Asia every year, and Finnair was my favorite airline before. Now it’s Swiss, it’s the worst seat ever in business class .
At first I was hesitant with the AirLounge seat because its design is very different from the standard lie-flat business seat. However after a couple of flights I really like the seat. You just have to acknowledge that it is different: There are several different ways to sit and lounge with this seat. It invites you to be more active and change your positions – use the pillows – which is always good during longer flights.
Moreover I like the shell design which gives you privacy and curves together with blue and white colours contribute to aesthetics of the cabin. The seat has minimal mechanics the seat contributes to lower emissions and easy maintenance. I can understand that for someone who loves a recliner at home the AirLounge is a hard nut to crack.