Welcome to this trip report of my Finnair trip light from Prague to Los Angeles via Helsinki in November 2022!
This is a sequel to my previous trip report showing the
same routing, but in Economy (already great and memorable then!).
I was very curious to see whether Business class on Finnair is as good as its other products, and am glad to report it was excellent!
Any comments and questions are welcome!
Background
This is my second time flying with Finnair but luckily, I was able to enjoy business class on both legs (paid seats).
I really enjoyed the hard product but most of all, was really grateful for the service quality and overall soft product on both flights. Finnair is doing something right!
I am a BA frequent flier (Silver) and have recently flown in BA's Club Suite with relative disappointment. While looking nice, service and food onboard BA's business class just seemed average and borderline subpar (one FA seemed to actively work to make everyone's day less pleasant by being overly curt with several passengers).
So, two weeks after that experience, I was really looking forward to this flight with Finnair, and had high hopes.
I was not disappointed.
AY 1222: PRG - HEL
Seat 2F - Business
a/c OH-LVL
Load Factor: about 95%
Actual: 860 mi (Direct: 821 mi)This flight was operated by an older A320 (18.4 years), however, the interior looked clean and fresh. The best part, again, was the crew. Everyone seemed experienced, very relaxed and genuinely nice - not "polite" in a British sense or (in my view) too casual as their American counterparts.
Boarding began 30 minutes before departure and we did not waste any time on the ground before taking off. De-icing was not required despite the winter conditions in Prague.
Legroom decent, middle seat blocked as usual
Finnair offered blankets and water bottles to business class customers, which I think is more than enough.
Departing cold Prague
Beautiful views over Poland
Delicious chicken salad
Meal was served on a single tray about 20 minutes after departure. We did not receive different options but I enjoyed the salad.
Drinks on the short leg were plentiful and in beautiful glassware
FAs were proactively offering refills - something I wish BA and others would be more comfortable with. That way, you do not feel like you are constantly bothering them!
Approach to Helsinki
The flight took a little less than 2 hours (1:51) and we landed without any delay in cold and snowy Helsinki!
Layover at HEL
I only had about 70 minutes to connect but passport control was a breeze (with many staffed and automated machine lanes open), and I managed to spend 15 minutes in the lounge to take a quick shower as well.
Helsinki non-Schengen Finnair lounge
The lounge was mostly empty on the Sunday, however, only 1 shower was available. Perhaps reducing time between customers could be done to increase shower capacity on busy days?
A quick shower was perfect
With the long-haul flight ahead of me, taking a shower was refreshing and made me feel less worn out. I like the clean and modern design of the showers, and the amenities offered (including razor, toothbrush and others)
Main food area with delicious and healthy options
I do not think I have yet been in a lounge with more delicious food choices (that includes Qantas, Cathay, British and American lounge options in Europe and the US). Food was extremely fresh and high quality, with lots of non-meat options. The only weakness was the filter coffee offered (it was rather weak). But espresso drinks were available.
Bar and lounge area
Did not get to enjoy it this time. But looks inviting!
Beautiful audiovisual display on the way to the gate
Truly beautiful! Lots of people with children were relaxing there and it was very inviting (unlike many airport departure areas, including the sterile Heathrow or Frankfurt airports).
AY 1: HEL - LAX
Seat 5L - Business
a/c OH-LWR
Load Factor: 100% in business
Actual: 5,702 mi (Direct: 5,607 mi)
I arrived at the gate 30 minutes before scheduled departure and was immediately checked in to the pre-boarding area. Due to a small delay of connecting flights, boarding was delayed by about 15 minutes but most people were onboard by 20 minutes after scheduled departure, and we pushed back 29 minutes late.
Seat 5L just after boarding - simple colors but elegant and functional
Spacious cabin with no bins over center seats
Legroom and slippers - much appreciated
Amenity kit
Noise-cancelling headphones
Map of our journey today
De-icing took two attempts
After leaving the gate, we were directed to the de-icing area where we spent a good 15 minutes. We then started moving and stopped on the runway - however, after a few seconds there, the plane started to move slowly again and left the runway - turns out, de-icing was "not completely finished" on the right wing and we had to repeat it. We ultimately departed a full hour later after leaving the gate, or 91 minutes after scheduled departure. However, that was the only and last unpleasant thing about the flight.
A menu was available for both meals on departure, and the crew offered late dinner service for anyone wanting to sleep first. I really appreciated this but given the delay, decided to get dinner right away.
Post-departure welcome drink and nuts
I had the Northern Blush (lingonberry, a splash of gin, and a dash of orange peel mixed together) which was very enjoyable, though on the sweeter side.
Appetizers and wine
I liked the red wine options offered - went with both Roquette & Cazes Douro 2018 (4.3 and $25 per bottle on Vivino, really smooth but on the heavier side) and Tommasi Poggio Al Tufo Rompicollo 2017 (3.7 and $15 on Vivino, less sophisticated but lighter)
Both appetizers were delicious and the right amount - not too much, not too little.
Beef entrée with side (risotto)
I was not sure what to expect but would comfortably rank this meal as the best I have ever had onboard an airplane over the last 20 years. The meat (and sauce) were on par with the best restaurants I have been to, and the asparagus risotto was creamy, fresh and flavorful. I do not like meals that have too much salt (a common problem I experience on airplanes) but everything seemed to be just perfect!
Dessert with decaf coffee
I started enjoying the dessert before taking a photo (blueberry mouse) - it was a relatively small bowl but just perfect after a satisfying meal. I did not try other options but they looked great, too.
Lavatory with a view
A350 has some nice perks - including spacious lavatories with a real sink, and a window to enjoy a good view from!
After-nap cappuccino
Easily the best coffee I have had onboard an airplane - a real espresso drink. Served per request after waking up from a 4-hour nap.
I did not get to take a photo of the seat in the lie-flat position but felt it was subjectively slightly more spacious than the BA Club Suite. I am very curious about the new Business Class seat concept on Finnair - hopefully will get to try it soon.
Snack on demand
Fresh berries and pineapple - really great and fresh
Canada in late-evening light
Sunset views over northern US
Somewhere over the US
Pre-arrival coffee
I asked for espresso to help stay up before arrival. It was delicious.
Some interesting traffic views over Utah
We had several nice cross-traffic views - my favorite included a pair of two jets shadowing each other
Sunset over the Great Salt Lake
On the next photo, you will see we flew close to Dugway. Later, I learned later that the Dugway Proving Ground (DPG) is a U.S. Army facility established in 1942 to test biological and chemical weapons! Dugway's mission is to test United States and Allied biological and chemical weapon defense systems in a secure and isolated environment. DPG also serves as a facility for US Army Reserve and US National Guard maneuver training, and US Air Force flight tests, mostly from nearby Hill Air Force Base in Clearfield. DPG is controlled by the United States Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC). The area has also been used by Army special forces for training in preparation for deployments to the War in Afghanistan.
Pre-arrival meal
The meal was much better than what I have had on BA or AA arriving to LAX - enjoyed the fruit, bread and salad (with fresh dill - yum!) and the game meat pie. The pie was slightly too salty but good otherwise!
Las Vegas just 40 minutes out of LAX
Arrival at LAX
We arrived at the gate just a few minutes after touching down, and were soon on our way. Bags arrived within 20-25 minutes of landing - an impressive time for LAX. I was soon on my way to the taxi stand at the TBIT garage - one that many people do not use (shhhh - keep it that way!).
Conclusions and Evaluation
On my second flight with Finnair, I was - again - very pleased. Finnair has a very good hard product, especially onboard the new A350 aircraft, but where it really shines is the service. Everyone I have encountered on this trip and the previous one seemed both professional and friendly, with no artificial politeness so common on other carriers. On the plus side, meals and drinks (especially coffee) served onboard both flights were delicious and fresh.
I would not hesitate to fly Finnair again if the price is good!
Thanks for reading!