Finnair Returns to Nagoya Airport for the First Time Since Pandemic as Only European Carrier

Finnair has resumed flights to Nagoya's Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO) for the first time since the pandemic, marking the airport's first direct connection to Europe in over four years. This development reinstates Nagoya as a significant destination in Finnair's Japan network, alongside Tokyo and Osaka.

Finnair Flight AY79 departed from Helsinki Airport (HEL) early this morning at 00:15 and landed in Nagoya at approximately 18:30 local time. Initially, Finnair will operate this route with two weekly flights: departures from Helsinki are scheduled for Thursdays and Sundays, while return flights from Nagoya will depart on Fridays and Mondays.

These flights are strategically timed to facilitate seamless connections to Finnair's UK and Irish network, including major cities such as London Heathrow, Manchester, Edinburgh, and Dublin. Nagoya, Japan’s fourth-largest city, offers a mix of modern and traditional attractions and is a gateway to the Japanese Alps skiing areas.

The route will be served by Finnair's Airbus A350-900 aircraft, which are configured with business, premium economy, and economy seating. Ticket prices start at £813 for Economy, £1,562 for Premium Economy, and £2,828 for Business Class, inclusive of taxes and charges.

Reconnecting to Europe

This route relaunch represents Nagoya's sole direct European connection post-pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, Finnair operated a daily service on this route, providing over 4,200 weekly seats between Helsinki and Nagoya. Additionally, Nagoya previously enjoyed a connection to Frankfurt (FRA) via Lufthansa.

This summer, Finnair will serve four Japanese destinations: Tokyo Haneda (HND), Tokyo Narita (NRT), Kansai International (KIX), and Nagoya. Collectively, the airline will offer over 14,000 weekly seats to and from its Helsinki base. The routes will be serviced by Finnair’s fleet of 17 Airbus A350-900s, which have an average age of under seven years.

Finnair has seen a strong recovery in its Asian network over the past 18 months, despite challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the closure of Russian airspace, which necessitated longer and more costly flight paths. The airline is also expanding its network this year, increasing flights to the UK and Ireland starting in October.