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Finnish Aviation Union Strike Forces Finnair to Cancel Over 100 Flights at Helsinki Airport

Stalled pay talks with employers' group PALTA risk wider walkouts at 21 Finavia airports

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Overview

  • This week’s walkouts mark the seventh strike in under a month, with 110 flights cancelled on June 2 and further action scheduled for June 4 and June 11.
  • IAU members say average Finnair Group wages rose 6.4% from 2020 to 2023, lagging the national 10.4% increase and prompting calls for larger pay rises than those proposed by mediator PALTA.
  • The union has warned that stalled negotiations could expand strikes to all 21 Finavia-operated airports, potentially disrupting 20–30% of Finland’s 2,000 daily flights.
  • Finnair has rerouted long-haul services via Stockholm and Budapest because of fuel shortages at Helsinki, leading to multi-hour delays on routes to Tokyo, Bangkok and New York.
  • Passengers are facing ferry fares up 100–130% and Airbnb rates up 40–50%, prompting travellers to seek strike-cover insurance and real-time flight-tracking tools.