Get comfortable: Finnair's new Premium and Economy seats take inspiration from Business Class
Finnair’s new look long haul aircraft might feature one of the sharpest Business Class cabins in the sky. But that’s not to say you’ll be missing out if you opt to fly in our brand new Premium Economy and updated Economy Class cabins. Far from it. Creating a cabin that offers comfort and coziness to all has been the driving force behind the project.
“We're super excited about this,” says Eerika Enne, Head of In-flight Customer Experience, Finnair, speaking about the relaunch. “We've been working hard and it's really been a cross functional team effort.”
That’s especially true when it comes to ensuring everyone is sitting comfortably. And with our new Air Lounge seat in Business Class, there was plenty to inspire our team of designers when creating something to suit every budget.
A Premium Economy seat with Business Class comfort
Premium Economy is a brand new concept for Finnair, meaning there was the opportunity to create something great. And that starts with the seat. Created by HAECO, Finnair’s design team set about customizing it so it fit the proportions of the cabin perfectly.
This was vital, explains David Kondo, Senior Manager, Customer Experience and Design Strategy at Finnair. “We've seen massive growth in Premium Economy in recent years across the aviation industry - it's clear that premium economy is the new hot product.” And that meant Finnair had to stand out from the crowd.
Kondo says he and his team customized the back shell of the seat, developing it into something that’s truly unique to Finnair. That means there are a wealth of personal stowage options, with dedicated space for a laptop, pockets for phone and tablet and room for papers and magazines too. The aim was to make space for everything you need so you don’t need to reach into the overhead compartment after take off. It also features a best-in-class 13 inch in flight entertainment system.
As with the Air Lounge seat in Business Class, the Premium Economy seat features Maija Isola-designed Marimekko textiles, giving added comfort as well as a true Nordic feel. With memory foam cushions, a full leg rest and seven inches more space than Economy Class, these seats take their cue from Business Class, meaning you’ll notice how comfortable they are as soon as you sit down.
Economy like no other
Kondo makes the important point that Economy Class is Finnair’s most popular cabin. So giving it a new look and ensuring the seats were the best available was essential. Doing so was, he says, “...all about setting the mark for our new look and feel.”
Each seat in the overhauled cabin will come with memory foam cushions, designed to mold to your body and give maximum comfort when on a long haul journey.
There’s more cushioning overall, with new dress covers as well. Finnair is also teaming up with Marimekko and leading Finnish contemporary artist Paavo Halonen to create new textiles for the seats, with plans to launch the new look soon. The idea is to unify the look found in Business Class and Premium Economy, making Economy Class a space that is both homely and design led.
Book now to try out our new long haul cabin, which is being rolled out throughout 2022 and 2023 across our entire widebody fleet of Airbus A330 and A350 aircraft.