AMS-LHR-HEL (British Airways and Finnair Economy Class)
A re-booked flight, 2 airlines, 5 hours and super-tight connections - a whirlwind 0.25 flight segment that was equivalent to a watching a thriller movie - scary but (weirdly) exciting. 2 economy products to review!
AMS-LHR-HEL (British Airways and Finnair Economy Class)
Hilton Helsinki Strand
GLO Hotel Kluuvi
Helsinki Highlights
HEL-SIN (Finnair New Premium Economy Class)
The Saga
In a previous post, I mentioned that my initial Finnair economy class flight from Amsterdam to Helsinki was unexpectedly canceled just moments after my Qatar Airways Business Class flight landed at Amsterdam Airport. However, I was fortunate that Finnair swiftly arranged an alternative route for me, despite it being longer (with a connection at London Heathrow), departing earlier (only one hour after my arrival!), and involving a tight 1.5-hour connection. The latter two aspects made me quite nervous, considering the infamous stories I had heard about the connection experience at LHR.
Without wasting a moment, I sprinted like a hare to disembark from the aircraft, determined to locate my gate as quickly as possible. Since it was my first time at Amsterdam Airport, I found the signage rather confusing, which caused some delay in finding the gate. Needless to say, it added to my growing sense of panic!
Fortunately, I was able to reach the gate just in time, with approximately 30 minutes to spare.
Flight 1 - British Airways Economy Class
The first leg of my journey to London Heathrow was onboard a British Airways A321.
The seats on the aircraft were arranged in a 3-3 configuration and pleasantly comfortable for a short-haul flight within Europe, offering ample legroom. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to take any pictures of the cabin due to the crowded nature of the flight (and my state of panic at the time), but you can find out more details about the cabin from Young Travellers of Hong Kong.
As expected, the flight offered minimal amenities, with no In-Flight Entertainment and only a bottle of water provided for brief duration of the journey.
Some breathtaking views of London as our aircraft descended into Heathrow Airport, made even more delightful by the rare occurrence of a sunny day (heard that it is rare in London!). 🌞
Flight 2 - Finnair Economy Class
Once again, panic set in (which was temporarily alleviated by the splendid London views) as the aircraft landed half an hour later than scheduled, leaving me with just over one hour remaining for my connection! We touched down at Terminal 5, while my next flight was departing from Terminal 3, necessitating a 5-10 minute bus ride between the terminals.
Upon arrival at Terminal 3, I encountered a lengthy queue at the security checkpoint, intensifying my sense of urgency. Would I make it to my flight on time?
Fortunately, the queue moved swiftly, and I soon found myself airside with approximately 30 minutes to spare (allowing a brief opportunity to explore the Duty-Free area). My initial thought: never again!
The subsequent leg of my journey was onboard a Finnair A350 in Economy Class, featuring an older version of the wide-body aircraft.
Despite being an older version, the seats on the Finnair A350 in Economy Class remained perfectly comfortable, with generous legroom. Additionally, the flight offered In-Flight Entertainment for entertainment purposes, complemented by the presence of a conveniently located USB charging point below the seat. There was also a dedicated storage space available for accessories and gadgets, and the provided earphones were of commendable quality.
One notable feature of the In-Flight Entertainment was the camera views, which offered captivating perspectives, particularly during the landing at Helsinki Airport. I highly recommend turning on the forward camera view if you are flying with Finnair!
With that I landed at Helsinki Airport, just as the skies turned dark (it was midsummer and the sun almost doesn’t set! Indicating how late is was).
Conclusion
Despite the initial state of panic, I couldn't help but feel appreciative of the opportunity to experience two new airlines, and the chance to visit London Heathrow Airport! Flight-wise, both airlines provided a great experience in terms of Intra-Europe Economy Class travel, and I would gladly opt to fly with either of them again in the future.
That said, I sincerely hope to avoid finding myself in such a predicament again in the future! And keep up the cardio 🏃
