HELSINKI, 14 July 2021: Finnair will launch nonstop flights from Arlanda, Stockholm in Sweden to Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand and Miami in the United States effective October for the winter timetable 2021/2022.
All three routes will be operated with an Airbus A350 aircraft.
“We are excited to meet the travel needs of our Swedish customers with a nonstop service from Arlanda to Thailand and Miami, which are among the top winter holiday destinations for Swedes”, said Finnair chief commercial officer Ole Orvér.
As of 22 October, Finnair flies from Arlanda to Bangkok five times weekly on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. By 28 November, frequencies will increase to seven (daily) thought to 22 April 2022.
Flights from Arlanda to Phuket will operate on Sundays, with the first departure on 24 October. An additional weekly frequency will be added every Thursday as of 4 November, and the third service will be scheduled every Tuesday from 30 November through to 21 April 2022.
Flights from Arlanda to Miami will start with two weekly frequencies, on Wednesdays and Saturdays beginning on 23 October. From 29 November, flights will also operate on Monday and Friday through to 22 April 2022.
Finnair flies to Bangkok, Phuket and Miami, also from its home base Helsinki Airport.
Finnair flights from Arlanda to Thailand are now bookable through Finnair.com and also through travel agencies.
Sure, cargo is a big reason for flying to Bangkok. That being said, it begs the question as to whether it wouldn’t make sense to offer more flights to Phuket (along with flying some cargo) and having a lower frequency to Bangkok (like I said, perhaps 4 flights a week should be enough). Really depends on how much money the airlines are generating from flying essentially only cargo into/out of Bangkok. Given the domestic flight suspensions, which could potentially drag on for months, off-loading cargo in Phuket would force it to be transported to Bangkok by road or a combination of road and rail, which might drive up costs significantly. Therefore I can now see why flying most cargo directly to Bangkok makes more sense. However, when I made my original comment the domestic flight suspension had not yet been announced.
My point was more along the lines of – what kind of cargo is being transported between Finland and Thailand to require such a frequency of flights landing in Bangkok during a time when there is hardly any passenger demand, seeing the two countries don’t share such an important trade relationship, unlike those shared between Thailand and Germany, Switzerland, France and other larger European economies.
I suppose the frequency of these flights have something to do with cargo and also on going flights’, Finland /Bangkok/ Hong Kong for example ??
Agreed how the planes manage to fly with the handful of business men and ASQ or Sandbox traveling. How on earth the countries who are attracting tourists can’t get their act together to procure the vaccinations’ is beyond me. It clearly shows the governments with the strongest governments and health care. The rest don’t seem to care a fig !
This flight frequency doesn’t make sense unless quarantine is lifted for Bangkok by the time the first flights start. 5-7 flights to Bangkok under ASQ but only a once weekly flight to Phuket with it’s quarantine-free sandbox is illogical. They can’t possibly fill planes to Bangkok if travelers have to spend 2 weeks in isolation (even if it’s dropped down to 11 nights by then) first.
Shouldn’t it be the other way round? In fact, since Swedes are generally more interested in the beaches of southern Thailand than the congested streets of Bangkok, it would make more sense for Phuket to be served 5 times a week and Bangkok only 3-4 times.