Japan Airlines (JAL) is launching its inaugural service between Tokyo (Narita) and Helsinki from February 25th 2013. Flight JL413 will depart from the Japanese capital at 1145 on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday,  to arrive in Helsinki at 1505. The return flight will leave at 1725 to land back in Japan at 1015 the next day.

The service will increase to daily from April subject to the delivery of a 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft.

Located considerably closer to Japan than many European cities, Finland’s capital makes an excellent gateway for travellers connecting between Japan and Northern, Central and Eastern Europe.

Helsinki Airport offers one of the shortest Minimum Connection Times - just 35 minutes, in a compact terminal that is also furnished throughout with clear directions and signage in several languages including Japanese, providing travellers a stress-free and comfortable transit. In comparison to its existing services to and from the region, JAL’s new Helsinki flights will offer customers the shortest and fastest connection between Japan and many more European cities.

In addition to JAL’s current nonstop links between Tokyo and London, Paris and Frankfurt, customers will soon have greater travel options to more cities throughout Europe with the latest addition to JAL’s European network and the comprehensive reach of fellow oneworld alliance member, Finnair, which include 41 destinations in Europe from its Helsinki hub. JAL will seek to further expand its network through deeper cooperation with Finnair in the near future.