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"Direct air connectivity will also help
bring Indian information technology and telecom
professionals from India to our country,"
according to Christer Haglund, senior vice-president
for public affairs with Finnair.
"Chennai and Bangalore are on our radar
for starting direct flights from Helsinki. There
has been an increasing traffic of telecom and
software professions from these southern cities
of India to Finland," Haglund told IANS.
The Nordic carrier, however, has indefinitely
put on hold the proposal to resume flights between
Mumbai and Helsnki. The Helsinki-Mumbai service
was scheduled to re-start this Diwali after its
suspension in August last year.
"The Mumbai-Helsinki sector has not been
a particularly profitable route. So, we have not
set any date for Mumbai operations to resume.
But, as I said, we have these other destinations
in mind."
Haglund said Finnair was keen to expand in India
and that was the reason why the frequency of New
Delhi-Helsinki service was expanded to a daily
operation since September against four days a
week earlier.
The airline had commenced flights to Delhi in
October 2006.
According to the Finnair official, due to losses
sustained by the carrier -- as has been the case
with other airlines worldwide -- any decision
on adding new routes will not be taken in a hurry.
"We expect huge losses this calendar year.
We were able to manage losses last year. But this
is a very difficult year for us. Yet we are looking
at new profitable routes like Toronto and other
major US destinations," said Haglund.
"An extension of that is: We are keen to
make Helsinki the gateway between India and North
America. Travelling via Helsinki is the shortest
route between India and North America. There is
a very good potential," he said.
"We will also add new destinations in China
and other Asian countries."
Officials here said the Finnish government too
has taken steps to ensure Helsinki becomes an
attractive hub by lowering traffic and navigation
charges by around 10 percent.
"The airport charges in Finland are among
the lowest in Europe," said Samuli Haapasalo,
president and chief executive of Finavia, the
state-run company that manages the 25-odd airports
in this country.
"These steps have been taken to meet the
economic challenges on account of the economic
downturn worldwide. We propose to continue with
the 10-percent cut in these charges next year
as well," Haapasalo told IANS.
Earlier in the day, Finavia threw open a swanky
new terminal to visitors at the Helsinki-Vantaa
airport here, built to handle 15-16 million passengers
and 13.5 million items of baggage per annum.
Spread over 39,000 square metres, the new terminal
is equipped with a luxurious spa, well-being services
and a modern, well-appointed lounge. It has been
built with support from Finnair, which marked
its 85th anniversary last year.
Haapasalo said the new terminal cost the developer
over $210 million and will also have large jet-ways
to accommodate as many as eight wide-bodied aircraft
at any given time.
"Location is basically the key here at the
Helsinki airport," said Haapasalo.
"We offer the shortest and the fastest route
between Europe, Asia and North America. The new
Helsinki airport opens Asia's rapidly growing
markets to Finland and the Finnish industry.
(IANS)
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