Finnair Invests $228 Million to Woo Premium Leisure Travelers
Photo Caption: Finnair will install new premium seats on all of its long-haul jets by the end of 2023. Finnair
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Finnair is the latest airline to cash in on the growing premium leisure travelers market. The carrier is will add lucrative premium economy seats to its long-haul jets to tap into what CEO Topi Manner has called an "increasingly important" passenger segment.
The coronavirus pandemic has turned the airline business on its head. The recovery in corporate travelers that were the industry’s bread-and-butter for decades continues to lag, while leisure flyers are back strong. Flush with pandemic savings, those eager-to-travel vacationers are splashing out for a little luxury on their trips.
This is what airlines call “premium leisure” travel, or vacationers who buy seats in a premium cabin, whether its premium economy, business class, or even first class. The ranks of global carriers have increasingly called out this pandemic trend as a growing market — and opportunity — for them as the industry recovers.
Finnair is the latest to cash in on this trend with a $228 million (€200 million) investment in new business and premium economy cabins on its long-haul Airbus jets unveiled Thursday. The airline's existing business class will get an update with new lie-flat seats
