Finnair may offer direct flight from Busan to Helsinki
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Finnair Korea General Manager Kim Dong-hwan / Courtesy of Finnair Korea
By Kim Jae-heun
Finnair Korea General Manager Kim Dong-hwan said the carrier may begin a new flight service connecting Busan and Helsinki by the end of the year.
“If we begin this new route departing for Helsinki from Busan, it will become the first direct flight from the Yeongnam area to Europe,” Kim said during a press conference celebrating the 10th anniversary of the airline's service in Korea.
“The Korea Airports Corporation and Busan Metropolitan City have been working together to help establish the new route. It will be put into service immediately if the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation approves it.”
The general manager has been working to start the direct flight from the southeastern region of Korea to Scandinavia for the past five years. Finnair first began its flight service connecting Seoul to Helsinki in June 2008.
The airliner operated only four flights a week then. Kim came to work for Finnair in 2010 as the sales manager.
“I remember when I watched the first Finnair airplane landing at Incheon International Airport in 2008. It was an impressive moment and I still remember it clearly,” Kim said. “We have been offering the flight to Europe from Korea since then.”
Ticket sales of the airline have increased 4.5 times over the last decade.
The carrier has also increased the number of its cabin crew members from 12 to 32.
“Starting June 1, Finnair will open a branch office in Korea. We will increase our direct flight services traveling from Seoul to Helsinki and develop sustainable services customized for Koreans,” Kim said.
Finnair has signed a contract with Korean chef Nam Sung-youl, who will be providing Korean and Scandinavian dishes for business class travelers.