FINNAIR LEISURE FLIGHTS LEASES AN AIRBUS A330-200 AIRCRAFT

Finnair Leisure Flights and the British leisure flight company XL Airways UK
Ltd. have signed an agreement on the lease of a new Airbus 330-200 wide-bodied
aircraft with crew for Finnair Leisure Flights' use in the winter season
2008-2009. The aircraft will be delivered in November 2008. The intention is to
operate the aircraft on popular Thailand flights from Helsinki to Phuket. The
aircraft will fly to Thailand non-stop, six times per week from November 2008. 

“The agreement will allow a significant increase in Leisure Flights' capacity
for the next winter traffic season. At the same time, we will be able to meet
increased demand for non-stop leisure flights towards Thailand,” says Finnair's
Vice President, Leisure Flights Erno Hildén. 

The aircraft has a total of 328 seats, of which 42 are in Comfort Class located
in the front section, and 286 in Economy Class. 

“The new Airbus A330-200 will allow non-stop flights from Helsinki to Phuket in
Thailand, which will cut the travel time by around two hours. Our leased
aircraft delivers a very high standard of passenger comfort; the seat spacing
in Economy Class is 32-33 inches (81-84 cm) and in Comfort Class 38 inches (96
cm),” explains Hildén says. 

In winter season 2008/2009, in addition to the Airbus A330-200, Finnair Leisure
Flights will operate its leisure flights with a fleet of seven Boeing 757-200
aircraft as well as Airbus A320 aircraft leased from Finnair Scheduled
Passenger Traffic. The increased popularity of winter tourism enables capacity
to be increased with the wide-bodied aircraft. 

Finnair Leisure Flights will fly to Thailand a total of 11 times per week in
winter season 2008/2009. Other winter season long-haul destinations include
Vietnam, India, the Caribbean and Brazil as well as Fort Lauderdale in Florida
and Penang in Malaysia, which are returning to the flight programme. 


Further information:
Erno Hildén, Vice President, Finnair Leisure Flights, tel. +358 9 818 8550
FINNAIR LEISURE FLIGHTS LEASES AN AIRBUS A330-200 AIRCRAFT FOR THAILAND LEISURE FLIGHTS IN WINTER SEASON 2008/2009
