Finnair market leader from Warsaw to China and India

FINNAIR MARKET LEADER FROM WARSAW TO CHINA AND INDIA, NUMBER TWO TO JAPAN

(Warsaw 12.3.2009) According to IATA BSP Poland data from 2008, Finnair was the market leader in number of passengers from Warsaw to China and India, flying to destinations such as Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Mumbai and Delhi and a good number two to Japan, with flights to Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya. Also the Seoul traffic developed well even if the route was opened only mid 2008.

In recent years, the Finnair route network has been developed to serve traffic between Europe and Asia, passing through Helsinki.

“We will continue building on our successful Asia strategy also here in Poland”, says Juhani Nuoramo, Finnair’s Sales Director for Central Europe. “The combination of fastest and shortest routes from Warsaw to key Asian destinations, a modern fleet and competitive pricing is clearly attractive to an increasing number of Polish travellers. Indeed, last year we flew for the first time over 100 000 passengers between Warsaw and Helsinki”, Mr. Nuoramo continues.

Finnair Group's operational result fell from a record level of 100 million euros in 2007 to less than seven million Euros in 2008. The most significant factors were fuel, which remained expensive until the autumn and a sharp fall in the average price of flight tickets.

“The airline industry's profitability as a whole weakened rapidly during 2008. Short term, this year will be one of adjustment to the situation in a crisis industry”, says Mr. Nuoramo. “However, the long-term goal of our scheduled traffic is to grow in services between Europe and Asia, utilising Helsinki as a geographically and logistically ideal transit location.”

Finnair will also continue modernizing its wide-body fleet. This year five new Airbus A330-300 long-haul aircraft will be acquired and the last three in 2010. Finnair will therefore have one of the most modern fleets in the world in the beginning of 2010.

“Besides adding to passenger comfort; this all ties into our vision to be the number one choice for the environmentally conscious traveller in intercontinental travel in the Northern Hemisphere. Flying the shortest route with a modern fleet saves not only time but also emissions”, Mr. Nuoramo concludes.

For more information, please contact:

Radoslaw Podhorecki tel. +48-601-370 178 or +48 22 657 00 17

Finnair Media Desk tel. +358 9 818 4020 or comms@finnair.com

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