New airline in Finland

[Fadec Off]

Retired Finnish Formula one driver Mika Häkkinen among the other famous Finns, including NHL star Teemu Selänne are setting up new Finnish lowcost carrier, Flying Finn Airways. They will start with two MD-83 aircraft. The aircraft are early-production 1984 and 1985 ships to be leased from their Cayman Island post box owner.
The new operator was registered with Finnish authorities last month, with a Helsinki law firm as its contact address. The company is lead by retired Finnair pilots.
Operations are rumoured to be started at the following routes; HEL-ARN, HEL-OUL, HEL- LEMG and HEL- London(stanstedt?)

[Bengt Engel]

anyone out there have any more info?

[md80forum]

Operative management is headed by retired Finnair pilots. Chief Pilot is Finnair's former Training Chief Pilot Kalevi Halonen, Director of Flight Ops is Matti Hiltunen. CEO of the company is a Helsinki lawyer Matti Nenonen.

Jan-Erik

[Knold]

Any news on reqruitment?

[Bengt Engel]

rumour is the majority are old finnair pilots although I dont know if they are old as in retired or fired...

an additional rumour says that "some" recruitment of "outside" (other then finnair) pilots will take place...again, not sure if that's gonna be contract trough parc etc or hired by company...

And I have no info about the language barrier...

Mr Engel...

[Fadec Off]

I do not have any bullet proof info either but one may think that they will fill the left seats by their old pals and right hand seats will be occupied by new graduates. That would most propably suit the "low fare"- concept. Two planes, maybe five crews/ac makes ten and ten. Due the byrocracy between brand new operator and CAA, I ques they might start their operations next earliest at next spring.

By the way, NHL-star Selänne denies that he has nothing to do with the airline in concern...

[JJflyer]

I tend to agree with Fadec Off and after having a chat about this project with somebody who is informed this seems to be the modus operandi. Makes it a lot easier to get in if you know someone regardless the seat.

I was wondering what are the odds that a new company will stay afloat using relatively big equipment in a small market of about 5 million people that is served by 3 exsisting "Finnish" companies. Namely Finnair, Air Botnia and Golden Air. How big of a market share will they be able to corner? I wish them best of luck, but I am getting Spearair flashbacks.

[Fadec Off]

JJflyer, that is what I have wondered also. So many airplanes in so small region, diffucult to handle...:) but as you I wish them the best.
If they really will try to start at the best domestic route of Finnair, HEL-OUL they should take good care. Finnair, they won't let it be easy. My opinion is that those city pairings HEL-OUL, HEL-ARN needs at least six to ten flights per day to compete anybody and what do you expect the big rivals answer will be. :(
Sound like an economical suicide to me. Anyway if they will be in charter business it might work out but todays business travellers they need those fancy plastic cards, lounges and programs for collecting points to get them and their mistresses to the secret hide away;) and at the end they need good connections!
still wish them the best but sceptism, it's my second nature :)

[JJflyer]

Only way I can see this company surviving in the long term is for it to become a Finnair or SAS Franchise in similar fashion as GB Air is for British Airways. As SAS has Botnia it would leave Finnair to be the one to talk to. There are numerous advantages in this type of deal to the companies in question on of them being lower employee costs with lower salary structure than with the parent company.

A small market with a lot of competition and customer loyalty to frequent flyer miles and good standard of service is a tough nut to crack alone without a partner.

Brings to my mind. How do you make a million in airline business? You start with 10 million!

Still with all the difficulties they face, can´t blame anyone for trying. Who dares, Wins.

[headwind]

Knold

Don't know about pilot recruitment but beancounter recruitment seems to be well under way, see yesterday's Helsingin Sanomat pg. E8, an ad by Corporate Advisor Group OY (CAG). They're looking for
- Director of Maintenance as per JAR OPS 1
- Quality Manager as per JAR OPS 1
- Technical Director as per JAR-145.

The ad says telephone calls will not be answered. It only says CAG's client is a Finnish airline which will start 2003 on jet planes, operating out of HEL.

-hw

[Ludde]

Could also be the new airline Air Finland which also is seeking
AOC for charter traffic with one 757(or more).

[Fadec Off]

BtW it's AIR FINLAND, they will have a press conference at thursday in Helsinki.
Air Finlandia is established at 1987 and don't know what the hell they are doing at these days.

Hey Ludde, quite quick move u did pal, It's not shame if you do not have proper information. Nobodys perfect at these days.

[Ludde]

The paper said Air Finland but my fingers wanted to write Finlandia, don't know why.

Let's see what they come up with after the press conferens.

Heard that the office of Flying Finn is in the same building as SAS at Vantaa.

Some pilots of Air Botnia seems to be heavily involved with Air Finland.

Money, money, some have , I don't

[Knold]

Thanks headwind. Since I'm rated I'm most interested but I don't live in Finland so if you see any more ads in the local newspapers I would be very happy I you'd post it here or email me.

Cheers!

[md80forum]

Air Finland is being set up by Air Botnia pilots with the owner of hockey team Espoo Blues, 26-year-old Jussi Salonoja as its biggest shareholder. The KF pilots where immediately suspended once a local newspaper published their names. A temporary website (http://www.mtv3.fi/airfinland/) is up, for some reason with local tv station MTV3. Check there for Air Finland's projected destinations, using 757 equipment. Internet sales are scheduled to open JAN'03, ops APR'03.

Flying Finn Airways is apparently being set up following Icelandic MD Airlines' problems with their biggest Swedish travel agency customer's demise. Many Finnair and retired ex-Finnair pilots were flying for them and are now apparently looking for new jobs on home soil. Rumour has it MD Airlines will operate Flying Finn's flights initially. Flying Finn has filed to operate two ex-Finnair MD-83.

Jan-Erik Andelin
MD-80 International Forum

[JJflyer]

Joopa. Mikähän saa tälläist projektit yhtä-aikaa esiin? Liikkeellä on ainakin 4 suurehkoa Suomalaisten vetämää aloittelevaa yhtiötä joista osa ulkomailla.
Islantilaiset on hyvällä menestyksellä hoidelleet ACMI ja Wetlease hommia jo vuosia, jopa Suomalaisille fimoille. Finnair taisi olla aika tärkeä tekijä Air Atlantan nykyiselle menestykselle. B737C rahti lennot Hesasta Eurooppaan loi aika vakaan taloudellisen pohjan kyseiselle yhtiölle. Ei ole mitään estettä miksei Suomalaiset pärjäisi tässä pelissä. Mutta mahtuuku pelkästään Suomen pieniin markkinoihin tukeutuvalle yhtiölle töitä, varsinkin kun kapasiteetista on jo nyt tiettyä ylitarjontaa.

Just wondering what gets projects like this to jump out f the closet at the same time. We are doing it too syndrome ? There are atleast 4 large Finnish run projects around with some outside Finland.
Icelandics have for years now been succesfull in ACMI and wetlease operations. Air Atlanta had a B737C flying for Finnair for quite a while. That income has surely contributed to the financial stability of that company and to it´s success as well.
I do not see a reason why Finns could not succeed in this type of operation. I am worried that there will be too many people tryinng to get a slice of the cake, that is, from the relatively small Finnish market , especially as there is allready some overcapacity on that market.

I think that the biggest benefit it for the Joe Normal as ticket prices will drop once some of these start-ups will (hopefully) fly.

[gothammer]

One might wonder... But apparently right now there's both planes & personel available - cheap... You can buy an old MD82 for $4 million, lease one for perhaps $25-30K a month - why not give it a try. If you have the money, of course :rolleyes:

The big, old, established airlines have become too large to make fast moves within a dynamic market situation. And while they wait&watch, every day counts for h.u.g.e. losses for them and new opportunities for the newcomers.

But when trying to establish a new trademark you can't forget that the public - customers - are also slow in their turns. People who are used to traveling by SAS, Finnair or Lufthansa will do that for a while despite of other alternatives popping up. Even if the newcomer burns its money in aggressive marketing campaigns.

So if you wan't to come into the market, you have to either:
- cooperate with a larger partner
- have a long term contract with a reliable customer
or
- have enough cash to stand losses for 2-3 years

Just see what appears to be happening with Goodjet :eek:

But anyways - hope it'll go well for Air Finland and Flying Finn and who ever might follow!
It's nice to see the business booming :cool:

[headwind]

Knold
As it happens, one turned up just today
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=74819. Good luck wherever you're heading to.



-hw

[Knold]

Thanks a million!

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Due to new rules about short messages below 20 caracters I write this explenation.
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[F28Classic]

All happenings are for change to better. Old breznev style with ay ruling whole country is outdated and lasted. It is time to some to come with new ideas and goals. For my understanding Flying Finn Airways has an idea of combining lowcost ops with charter thou Air Finland has goal of interviening to charter markets. Different thing but maybe right timing.

And it is time to kick not finnish companies out of Hel to charter finnish people to anywhere. A Finn trust no-one, but maybe another Finn. So all the luck and tailwinds for newcomers,

[Heli-Ice]

Its great to see the "Flying Finn" is still flying.

X-mas greetings from Iceland.

Heli-Ice.

[Knold]

It's been awfully quiet in this thread.
Has anyone got some news about Flying Finn?

[JJflyer]

Onko mitään uutisia 2 kotimaisen uuden yhtiön toiminnasta. Any news on the 2 new Finnish companies?

Cheers