Singapore Changi Airport today welcomed the arrival of Finnair to Singapore. Finnair will operate daily non-stop flights between Singapore and Helsinki, Changi’s first new European route since the launch of Lufthansa’s Singapore-Munich service in June 2008.

Helsinki is Changi Airport’s fifth new city link this year following the commencement of flights to Nanning, China (China Eastern Airlines), Pekanbaru, Indonesia (Silkair), Redang, Malaysia (Berjaya Air) and Sao Paulo, Brazil (Singapore Airlines). Tomorrow, 1 June, Garuda Indonesia launches its new service from Singapore to Makassar on Indonesia’s Sulawesi Island.

Finnair will operate A340-300 aircraft in a two-class configuration on the Singapore-Helsinki route. It will use Terminal 1 at Changi Airport.

With the addition of Finnair’s flights, travellers departing from Singapore will now enjoy greater connectivity to Europe with the addition of some 1,900 weekly one-way seats. In total, some 80,600 weekly one-way seats will now be available for passengers travelling between Singapore and Europe.

The inauguration of Finnair’s services will also enhance Changi’s connectivity to the Nordic region. Including Singapore Airlines’ thrice-weekly service to Copenhagen, Singapore will now be connected to Northern Europe via 10 weekly services, providing travellers with more options.

Apart from flying a shorter route between Asia and Europe, Finnair’s passengers will enjoy morning arrivals at more than 50 European cities from Finnair’s Helsinki base. In addition, Finnair’s codeshare and interline agreements with Qantas1 and Jetstar respectively will provide passengers from Europe with extensive onward connection to Asia and Australia via Singapore. As at 1 May 2011, Qantas operates 46 weekly services to five destinations in Australia while Jetstar operates 164 weekly services to 26 destinations from Changi Airport. The arrival of Finnair brings to five the number of oneworld carriers2 at Changi Airport and reaffirms Changi’s position as a key oneworld hub in Asia.

Passenger traffic between Singapore and Europe has grown steadily over the years, increasing at a compounded annual growth rate of 4.5% from 2005 to 20103. For the 12 months ended 31 March 2011, some 2.3 million passengers travelled between Singapore and Europe, up 9.0% year-on-year3.

Changi Airport Group’s Senior Vice President for Market Development, Mr Lim Ching Kiat, said, “We are delighted to welcome Finnair to Changi with its daily non-stop service from Helsinki to Singapore. This represents a significant milestone for Changi Airport and it reaffirms our status as an important air hub linking Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Passenger traffic between Singapore and Europe has grown steadily in the last few years and we believe there is tremendous growth potential for Finnair’s services. We will continue to work with Finnair to realise its growth aspirations in Asia.”