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Finnair scrambles to find alternative routes as Friday work stoppage begins at Helsinki airport

Friday's cancellations affect an estimated 8,000 passengers, but the airline says it will offer new routes to customers where possible.

Passengers at Helsinki Airport.
File photo. Image: Silja Viitala / Yle
  • Yle News

Finnish national airline Finnair will cancel around 110 flights on Friday due to a four-hour work stoppage called by the IAU union, which represents ground staff.

The walkout will impact ground handling operations and aircraft maintenance, among other tasks.

Friday's cancellations affect an estimated 8,000 passengers, Finnair said, but the airline will offer new routes where possible.

In a press release, Finnair said that passengers can also avoid the potential disruption by rescheduling their flights themselves, in the Manage booking service on Finnair's website or on the Finnair mobile application.

"We are deeply sorry that our customers' important travel plans are once again disrupted. We are doing everything we can to provide our customers with alternative routing as quickly as possible," Jaakko Schildt, Finnair's COO, wrote in the press release.

Friday's walkout was confirmed on Wednesday after the Finnish Aviation Union IAU and employers' group Palta failed to reach an agreement on collective bargaining talks.

Similar work stoppages are also scheduled to take place on Monday 2 June and Wednesday 4 June, and the union has issued a further strike warning for Wednesday June 11.

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