FINLAND's flag carrier Finnair is to upgrade its new Japanese Sapporo service to a year-round operation. The service between Helsinki and Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido will fly twice a week and utilise Airbus A330 aircraft, starting from December 15.
Finnair is the only European airline to operate direct, scheduled flights between Sapporo and Europe. Sapporo is the carrier's fifth destination in Japan, adding to Tokyo Narita, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka, reported London's Air Cargo News.
Over the winter season, the flights to Sapporo will depart from Helsinki on Sundays and Thursdays, and depart from Sapporo on Mondays and Fridays.
As for the summer season, flights from Helsinki will depart on Sundays and Wednesdays and from Sapporo on Mondays and Thursdays. The flight time is nine hours.
'Adding Sapporo to our network is very exciting,' Finnair's senior vice president Christian Lesjak was quoted as saying. 'Japan is Finnair?s largest market outside our home market Finland, and with five key Japanese cities in our network, we are now the largest European airline flying to Japan.'
Both the Sapporo and Osaka routes are operated in a codeshare with Japan Airlines (JAL).
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Finnair is the only European airline to operate direct, scheduled flights between Sapporo and Europe. Sapporo is the carrier's fifth destination in Japan, adding to Tokyo Narita, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka, reported London's Air Cargo News.
Over the winter season, the flights to Sapporo will depart from Helsinki on Sundays and Thursdays, and depart from Sapporo on Mondays and Fridays.
As for the summer season, flights from Helsinki will depart on Sundays and Wednesdays and from Sapporo on Mondays and Thursdays. The flight time is nine hours.
'Adding Sapporo to our network is very exciting,' Finnair's senior vice president Christian Lesjak was quoted as saying. 'Japan is Finnair?s largest market outside our home market Finland, and with five key Japanese cities in our network, we are now the largest European airline flying to Japan.'
Both the Sapporo and Osaka routes are operated in a codeshare with Japan Airlines (JAL).
WORLD SHIPPING