The popular Airlinetrends.com website, which analyses consumer trends in the airline industry, has selected the world's 11 most innovative airlines. Finnair is ranked in the top five.
Airlinetrends.com, based in the Netherlands, is an independent aviation and consumer trends research agency, which analyses the global airline industry and publishes its research results on the company’s website (http://www.airlinetrends.com/). The agency identifies new commercial consumer ideas generated by changes in consumer behaviour and aviation.
This year, Airlinetrends.com ranked the 11 most innovative airlines, whose campaigns and services have also been an inspiration to others. The objective was to select airlines whose recent innovations are inspiring, interesting and challenging to a rapidly changing industry.
Airlines.com describes Finnair as an airline that has found itself a niche in transfer traffic between Europe and Asia – a strategy that has proved to be successful.
"Finnair's innovativeness stems from its desire to serve customers even better in a way that’s tailored to their needs. Finnair and Helsinki Airport were one of the first to introduce Mandarin-speaking staff at terminals to greet and guide passengers arriving from Asian destinations. Our goal is to make travelling as easy and as pleasant as possible for passengers and to offer them tranquil moments to counterbalance the constant hustle and bustle," says Finnair’s SVP Communications and Corporate Responsibility Arja Suominen.
The research also commended the modern wellness services of the Finnair Spa & Saunas as well as the stylish Finnair Lounge located in Helsinki Airport, the full-flat seats in business class of Finnair’s A330 aircraft, cabin staff who speak the language of the destination country, and the culturally-tailored business class menus and entertainment.
In addition, favourable mention was given to Finnair’s recently revamped visual identity, the free iPad trial conducted on Hong Kong flights, and the Rethink Quality campaign, for which Finnair chose from 5,200 applicants four expert Quality Hunters, who toured Finnair destinations around the world and assessed quality on flights, at airports and at the locations themselves.
Among the latest innovations mentioned were the donation of materials withdrawn from Finnair aircraft to charity and their ‘upcycling’ into new products. Finnair’s biofuels were also a focus of attention. Last week, Finnair flew the world's longest commercial flight to date using biofuel. In the next few weeks, Finnair will fly a series of four flights altogether using biofuel in both engines of its aircraft.
The 11 most innovative airlines, according to Airlines.com, are Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, Lufthansa, Delta Air Lines, Finnair, Southwest Airlines, KLM, Virgin America, Cathay Pacific, Emirates and Asiana.
Finnair plc
Communications
26.7.2011
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