Finnair to begin Helsinki-Minsk service June 9

Finnair said it would open a direct, year-round route between Helsinki and Minsk, Belarus as it continues its network expansion. The new twice-weekly Embraer E190 service will launch June 9. Finnair currently cooperates with Belarusian carrier Belavia on the Helsinki-Minsk route and Finnair’s own flights will bring the total number of weekly flights up to five, the Finnish carrier said. “A direct route to Minsk compliments our network well and will serve especially well customers traveling between Belarus and North America,” Finnair CCO Juha Jarvinen said. “Additionally, our new Minsk flights will connect well to Finnair’s Asian and European network.” Finnair has been expanding rapidly and in the 12 months ended Dec. 31, 2017, passenger numbers rose 9.6% to 11.9m, the airline said as it presented its full-year results on Feb. 16. It increased capacity 8.9% in 2017, but traffic growth was higher at 13.6%, giving it an average load factor up 3.5 points at 83.3%.<br/>