Finnair Launches Direct Flights from Nizhniy Novgorod to Helsinki

On 25 July 2014, Finnair, the national carrier of Finland, will launch a direct flight from Helsinki to Strigino international airport (belongs to Airports of Regions Holding Company). Air service between the two cities became possible as a result of agreements reached by the aviation authorities of Russia and Finland.

Flights from Nizhniy Novgorod will be operated on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, travel time: 2 hours 15 minutes. Aircraft type - Embraer 190 having passenger capacity up to 118 seats, with business and economy class service. Tickets are already available.

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- The favorable geographical position of Finland allows passengers of Finnair flights to use the shortest routes from Europe to Asia. Finnair may become a preferred carrier for Nizhny Novgorod passengers to North America and Canada due to easy short connections at Helsinki-Vantaa airport - said Director for Aviation Business Development for MC Airports of Region Vladimir Kamynin. - In addition, Finnair is a global, serious brand with a good reputation at the market. The advent of this company at Strigino is a highly positive development as it capitalizes the reputation and increases the attractiveness of Nizhny Novgorod airport for potential passengers as well as other carriers.

According to the market research conducted by Strigino airport, more than 14,000 Nizhny Novgorod natives visited Finland in 2012-2013. In wintertime tours to the Finnish ski resorts and the residence of Santa Claus are in great demand, in summer - recreation at numerous lakes, rafting and fishing. In 2010, according to Newsweek, Finland joined the list of “The world's best countries”.

- Russian Federation is Finland's biggest trading partner outside the EU, for the Russians, Finland is also a favorable place both for business and holidays - says Finnair Managing Director Alistair Paterson. - Our new routes and frequencies will meet the demand of Russian passengers not only for trips to Finland, but also to other European destinations of Finnair’s route network available at the largest Finnish hub. We also hope that Europeans will have more opportunities to discover the historic city on the Volga River …

With the arrival of Finnair at Strigino airport passengers can avail themselves an opportunity to choose among three European carriers-members of the largest airline alliances in the world. This summer the natives of Novgorod Nizhny can travel from Nizhny Novgorod airport to almost anywhere in the world via European hubs: Frankfurt am Main (Lufthansa), Prague (Czech Airlines) and Helsinki (Finnair).

For reference

Finnair is the national career of Finland founded in 1923, with its base at Helsinki-Vantaa airport and a member of Oneworld alliance - the third largest airline alliance in the world. For the fourth year in a row Finnair has been a holder of the Best Airline Northern Europe Award and has also renewed Finnair’s four-star Skytrax rating.

Finnair topped the JACDEC European airlines safety ranking list for 2012 and scored the second in terms of safety in the world. Finnair operates flights from Helsinki to 70 airports around the world, including Yekaterinburg, a member of MC Airports of Regions.