Aircraft Interiors International visited Helsinki to view Finnair’s new long-haul cabin designs. We captured a few design details of the €200 million (US$229m) project…

We stepped inside a maintenance hangar at Vantaa Airport. Among the aircraft within we found the first A350 fitted with the airline’s new long-haul cabins

We couldn’t resist a walkaround before climbing on board

Seeing an engine close up is always amazing

And the front is even cooler

A stairway to heaven? We would soon find out

The view from the top of the stairs

Some details of the 2015 A350. Finnair was the first European airline to take delivery of an A350. Now let’s step inside…

One side of the boarding zone, finished in a new residential-inspired scheme, features a backlit round mirror

The fore wall also features a credenza for inflight snacks and drinks

The opposite wall in the Door 2 boarding area also features the galley, concealed behind wooden doors. The glazed cabinets will hold the airline’s famous Iittala glassware

The wooden doors conceal the various galley inserts and carts. Finnair worked with AIM Altitude on the designs

Step inside the business class cabin and the changes are immediately obvious, from the darker colour scheme to the new seat: the AirLounge, for which Finnair is launch customer

The curved composite seat shells help create a soft feel for the cabin furniture

The centre doubles in the 1-2-1 cabin

Even the rear wall of the cabin has a soft, padded feel

The footwell of the AirLounge, as passengers will find it when boarding

A small legrest can be deployed using the metal lever

Legrest deployed!

This is when AirLounge gets really interesting. Raise the infill panel and a flat surface is created, useful for lounging or sleeping

Slide your legs into the footwell and a restful sleep awaits. Finnair will also supply a mattress and other bedding to enhance sleep comfort

Note the curve of the AirLounge seat. The feel is akin to a sofa, giving passengers freedom of movement. It shows that comfort can be achieved without complex actuation systems

The side table has a wood finish, with lighting controls so they can be accessed whether sitting or lying down

The side table surface also incorporates a wireless charging pad

We found David Kondo, Finnair’s senior manager, customer experience and design strategy on board. Note he is demonstrating how passengers can sit cross-legged in AirLounge

The outer seats extend as close to the sidewall as possible, for a cohesive cabin feel

The composite shells created a few design challenges. Find out more in the March 2022 issue of Aircraft Interiors International

Business class passengers will receive an amenity kit and headphones, among other inflight luxuries

This lower stowage compartment is ideal for keeping small items secure, and accessible when lying down

Another useful stowage space, suitable for the seated position

The upper stowage compartment contains various charging options, including USB A, USB C, PC power, complementing the wireless mobile charging pad on the table

The AirLounge seat concept was originally conceived by PriestmanGoode of London. The seat was further developed by Collins Aerospace, with customisation and final design execution by Finnair and its appointed design partner, Tangerine
Premium Economy
Let’s step in the economy cabin: a new travel class for Finnair. The airline is also launch customer for another seat: the HAECO Vector Premium model

Comfort features include a six-way adjustable headrest

With a deep 8in recline and a waterfall leg rest, the Vector Premium is a generous model in the premium economy sector

Finnair is launching premium economy with a 26-seat cabin in the A350

Finnair worked closely with HAECO and Tangerine to customise the seatbacks. Note the 13in IFE screens

Lower the lid of the small upper stowage compartment and a useful device holder is revealed

Premium economy customers can two meal services as well as a selection of drinks throughout the flight. The cocktail table has a grippy surface to help keeps glasses in place

The lower stowage compartment is large enough to accommodate a laptop

The neck pillow and woven blanket have been designed by Marimekko, the Finnish design house, specifically for the new premium economy experience

Premium economy guests also receive a Marimekko-designed amenity kit