Finnair Cancels Most Flights Scheduled For Thursday June 19, 2025

Finnair has today canceled 128 flights scheduled for Thursday (June 19, 2025), due to rolling 4-hour-long strikes at various ground functions. Similar work actions are taking place today.

The airline is in the process of canceling these flights and rebooking the roughly 8,225 affected passengers on alternate flights. Passengers are also eligible for EC 261/2004 Air Passenger Rights compensation.

You can access Finnair here.

Finnair will attempt to rebook affected passengers to their final destination on these strike dates by utilizing other airlines.

You don’t have to accept Finnair’s rebooking option and can contact them to see if better options exist (check what is available before you contact). It may, however, be challenging to reach Finnair’s contact centers, as more than 15,000 passengers are affected by these cancellations this week.

Affected passengers are eligible for Duty to Care. Finnair is responsible for providing accommodation and meals in case of long delays. They are also required to pay compensation if your rebooked flight departs earlier or if you arrive significantly later at your destination.

Finnair’s EC 261/2004 Notice:

Download (PDF, 135KB)

Finnair’s Short-Haul Flights Are Minimally Catered June 17 – 20, 2025:

Finnair Short-Haul Flights Minimal Catering June 17 – 20, 2025 (Bring Your Own Food)

Finnair’s Release To Passengers:

• 9 June: We have cancelled pre-selected flights scheduled for Thursday, 19 June 2025 on Tuesday, 17 June 2025
• What happens if my flight is cancelled? If your flight is cancelled, we will take care of your travel plan. We will rebook you on the best available alternative flight(s) and contact you personally. You will first receive a message about the cancellation, followed by another with your new flight details. Please note that the availability of alternative flights may be limited, so rebooking could take longer than usual. Thank you for your patience. Please read the further instructions below.

We will update any new information on this page. We are very sorry for the uncertainty and harm this situation may cause you, and we will do our best to minimise the impact on your journey.

If you have a booking on our flights on 11, 17 or 19 June 2025

• Check in online in advance and allow extra time to arrive at the airport.
• We recommend packing the most essentials, like medicines, in your carry-on baggage following the carry-on baggage allowance.
• Please be prepared for possible congestion at our service points and delays in baggage delivery at Helsinki Airport.

Would you like to travel on a different day, even if your flight is not cancelled?

• Contacting our customer service or the ticket issuer: You can change your travel date free of charge up to your departure day by contacting our customer service. Your new journey must begin no later than 31 August 2025. If you purchased your ticket through other service provider than Finnair, such as a travel agency, please contact them directly.
• Changes in Manage booking: If your ticket type allows, you can reschedule your journey through Manage booking. Change fees and fare differences need to be paid when making the change. However, if your new journey starts by 31 August 2025, you can submit a claim afterwards. Please note that due to high demand, claim processing may take longer than usual. Thank you for your understanding.

Finnair’s Press Release:

Finnair to cancel approximately 128 flights due to industrial action at Helsinki Airport on 19 June

The Finnish Aviation Union IAU has announced industrial action at Finnair’s home hub, Helsinki Airport, causing extensive disruptions to traffic on Thursday, 19 June. The four-hour industrial actions target different work shifts and thus affect many functions essential also to Finnair’s flights throughout the day, such as ground handling operations and catering services.

  As industrial action will cause significant disruptions to the operation of flights, Finnair will have to cancel approximately 128 flights on Thursday, 19 June. Flight cancellations are expected to affect approximately 8,225 Finnair customers. Finnair will offer these customers an alternative flight.

Customers whose flight was cancelled due to industrial action will be informed about the cancellation as soon as it has been done. After this, the customer will receive a message and be offered a new route, which will also be visible in Finnair’s Manage booking service and mobile application. The offered routing can be changed within the limits of flight availability in Manage booking or through customer service. Alternatively, customers can cancel their reservation and apply for a refund for the unused ticket.

Flight cancellations caused by industrial action have congested Finnair’s customer service, so wait times are unfortunately longer than usual. Finnair has previously allowed customers scheduled to travel on strike days to reschedule their flights, helping them avoid disruptions. Thousands of customers have taken advantage of this opportunity.

The industrial action might cause disruptions, for example, in the baggage handling at Helsinki Airport on Thursday, so customers travelling on Thursday are encouraged to check-in in advance, arrive at the airport on time and pack essential items, such as medicines, in carry-on baggage.

Conclusion

Finnair has reached multi-year agreements with its Pilots, which caused massive disruption for six months, and the Cabin Crew unions.

The group that still doesn’t have an agreement in place is various ground handling employee groups seeking pay raises that bring their wages to the same level as those who didn’t agree to non-raises during the pandemic, when inflation was rampant.

The midsummer period begins this week in Finland, and most companies, or at least their management functions, are operating on a skeleton crew until early August.

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