Finnair launches Mumbai-Helsinki direct flight; services to start from July

Finland's flag carrier Finnair on Friday said it will connect Helsinki with India's financial capital Mumbai with a direct flight, starting July this year.

Mumbai will be the airline's second destination in India after Delhi, where it has been flying since 2006.

The to-be launched flight on Mumbai-Helsinki and vice versa will be open for bookings from April 5 onward, Finnair said in a statement.

Finnair will operate from Mumbai and Helsinki, as part of its summer 2022 schedule, three times a week -- on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, the airline said.

"As the world opens up to travel, it is an opportune time to expand operations and enable better connectivity for our customers.

"After Delhi, Mumbai is a major airline hub in India and is home to leading global businesses.

"Our new services will enable both business and leisure travel from the region as global economies gradually recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic," said Desmond Chacko - general manager, Finnair.

Finnair connects customers to almost 70 destinations in Europe and five destinations in the US, including Seattle, New York, Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles, it said.

The carrier also said it will be operating wide-body Airbus A330 aircraft for this route.

With strengthening economic ties between India and Europe, the launch of a new route signifies the growing importance of the region, it stated.

Helsinki Airport has recently gone through an extensive renewal, offering Asian travellers a smooth and easy transit to other destinations in Finnair's network, according to the airline.

A network airline, Finnair, connects passenger and cargo traffic between Asia and Europe via the short northern route, the airline said.