Finnair Helsinki Bangkok Review
Flight Time: 11 hours 5 minutes
Business Class
General Impression: 
Spoiler: Absolutely amazing and comfortable seat with an absolutely terrible inflight service.
Before the Flight :
Check-in Process:
Security Control :
Lounge:
Information:
Boarding @ Gate:
Staff @ these points:
Boarding in Cabin:
Welcome Drinks:
Punctuality: , 2min early
, 2min early
During the Flight :
Food presentation: 
Food quality:
Drinks:
Service Procedure:
Amenity Kit:
Entertainment System:
Seat Quality:
Legroom:
Lavatories:
Cleanliness:
General Atmosphere:
Announcement Pilots:
Announcement Cabin:
Cabin Crew:
After the Flight :
De-Boarding:
Baggage Delivery:
—-
= bad, a lot of work needs to be done
= poor, you will be busy with corrections
= good & normal, nothing special
= high level, but the icing on the cake is missing
= topnotch, leave me here!
= Half a Point/sheep
—-
On the Ground:
We checked in on the mobile phone via the app the day before and just had to drop our bags at the airport.
Helsinki Airport is a rather small airport. The check-in hall is beautiful bright and airy.
The Finnair priority check-in is a little separate area. There was no queue at all in front of us. They had 3 check-in counters open. One of the check-in agents wasn't interested in working
at all. She was free all the time and preferred to stare wholes in the air than to serve customers. Once, one of the other agents became free, she called us over we went to her counter.
She was very friendly and chatted with us during the whole process.
From the priority check-in there was a special lane directly to the security check. No queue at all and we could walk straight to the checkpoint. Helsinki Airport uses the newest technology
in scanners and you do not have to remove electronic and liquids from your bags.
Agents were friendly with the Finnish coolness 
.
.
As we left the Schengen area in Helsinki we had to go through emigration. There was only a very short queue as only two counters were open.
Once through security and emigration we made our way to the Finnair business class lounge near gate 52.
The lounge is rather big which is normal for a home carriers lounge.
The lounge itself is super modern, bright and airy.
There are several soft drinks station in the lounge, one alcohol station for wine and sparkling wine, a food station and a full serviced bar for the hard alcohol and cocktails.
There are several zones in the lounge itself and it does not feel crowded at all.
Boarding started 40 minutes prior departure and exactly at the indicated boarding time.
At the gate there was a separate side and entry for priority passengers and one for regular passenger. Which makes the boarding process much easier as passengers don't get mixed and each
group has an own waiting zone.
Staff at the gate was just doing their job. No smiles no nothing.
At the aircraft door we were greeted by the senior cabin crew member.
The crew was very friendly at the door and whilst boarding. No crew in the cabin to help whilst boarding.
The seats were already fully equipped with headphones, amenity kits, slippers, the menu as well as a bottle of water.
There were also 2 pillows, a blanket and a mattress on each seat.
Once everyone was on board, the crew passed with welcome drinks. You had the choice between champagne, water and blueberry juice.
Also prior departure the crew took the order for the main dish.
Inflight:
We had the luck to get an Aircraft already equipped with the new Finnair business class seat. And wowww, the seat is absolutely stunning and amazing.
The Airbus A350 has a total of 30 business class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration.
The new seats are absolutely huge and you have personal space which is never ending. The seat can not be reclined but you still have so many options. It is more or less like your couch at
home. Once you lay down you even have enough space for your shoulders. The seat itself reminds me of the Singapore Airlines seat, just in other colors.
After take off the cabin crew first distributed hot towels. For me it is the first airline past covid that distributes hot towels again.
Then the crew offered an Apéritif together with some salted almonds. Unfortunately the almonds were super cold and it would have been nice if they would have been heated.
Around 1 hour after take off, they started with the main service. I was rather disappointed with the service Finnair offers on their long-haul flights.
The crew simply distributes a full size try with everything on it, except the dessert and asks for another round of drinks. I asked if they would still have any restrictions about covid but
the crew said it is their regular service.
This is a service other European Airlines offer on a 2,5 hour flight within Europe. Are you serious Finnair?
On the tray there was a super tiny entrée, another something undescribable and the hot meal. I did choose the beef and at least the beef was cooked perfectly but the taste was strange almost
sour.
Once finished the crew collected the tray and brought the dessert and coffee. That was it!
Well the dessert was at least delicious, one of the best Cheesecake I have ever had on board an aircraft.
The full service including clearing the cabin took 2 hours.
In addition if you are traveling as a couple you can't eat together at the same time as the flight attendant does first one side and then the other side of the cabin.
This is one of the worst hot meal services long haul I have ever seen.
Presentation of the food was okay and so was the quality. The food was not woww and it wasn't the worst. A mediocre meal.
Based on this experience, I would not choose Finnair because of their service, as other carriers are way ahead of them. Their service seems to be still in covid mode and/or massive cost
cuttings.
The cabin crew on this flight was okay. The crew was interacting with all customers, asked for refills after the service and offered help where needed.
They were present during night in the galley and they walked sometimes through the cabin and offered some snacks and drinks.
They didn't do anything extra or went the extra mile.
Around 2 hours prior landing, the crew started with the breakfast service.
First they distributed hot towels again followed by a full size tray.
There were no table clothes placed on the tray just a full size tray was distributed with a small hot egg dish, cold cuts, fresh fruits and joghurt. The crew offered tea and coffee as well as juices along the breakfast. There was one refill when the crew walked back to the galley and that was it. Trays were cleared and galley closed.
Also here with this service no love and passion for an inflight service.
Finnair is having such an amazing new business cabin with the new seat but the inflight service is exactly what other carriers (also European and North American Airlines) are currently
offering in premium economy.
Really really bad Service for business class.
Bathrooms were checked throughout the flight and were always clean and restocked.
The amenity kit is ok and offers the regular content. (toothbrush, eye mask and some lipbalm and cream as well as some earplugs).
The inflight entertainment is good and the screens worked fine. Each seat has a huge screen and the resolution is perfect. The screens are touch screens but you can also choose the handheld
devices to navigate.
Finnair has a wide variety of movies, films and series.
The aircraft would have been equipped with WiFi. The prices would have been moderate but we did choose to relax. WiFi for the full flight would have cost 24.90US$.
As business class customers you have one hour free WiFi. We used the free hour and had to find out that the internet is super slow.
Finnair has in my eyes one of the best apps for an airline. You get all the necessary information within the app and the most important information is pushed.
You couldn't hear any of the announcements on this flight as they were way way to silent.
It was impossible to understand the pilots announcements nor the announcements of the cabin crew.
Baggage delivery in Bangkok worked very well. First bags were delivered 20 minutes after arrival and priority bags were first bags on the belt.
Our summary:
A very good and solid ground product at their home base in Helsinki.
The new business cabin with the new business seat is simply amazing. Lots and lots of space to sleep. I am 1.80cm tall and no problems to lay down on the back, belly and side and still having
massive amount of space available.
The crew was okay, they did their job and were friendly but without going the extra mile or even an inch.
The inflight service was a disaster and not worth to be called a business class service on a long haul flight and especially not to Asia. Other carriers serve this in premium economy on the
Northatlantic. Very very disappointing inflight service.
Based on this experience I don't know if I would reconsider booking Finnair. There are other and better choices in my eyes. Let's see how the return flight goes to make a final decision.
Notes:
- Paul the Sheep does not get any benefits from the Hotels/Airlines etc.
- Paul will always pay for the services in order to be able to rate freely and truly about the experiences.
-If you are interested in more details, please send me a private message and I will be happy to share