Finnair Opens Via Spa at Helsinki Airport

On December 11, Finnair, the national airline of Finland, which celebrated its 40th anniversary of service between New York (JFK) and Helsinki earlier this year (www.finnair.com), opened Via Spa as part of its new modern Via Lounge at Helsinki Airport. Via Spa offers unique spa and wellness services that will prove especially attractive to the carrier’s transit passengers traveling via Helsinki to Finnair’s more than 50 destinations worldwide, especially those in Asia.

“The high quality Via Spa will offer Finnair customers first-class spa and wellness services. For instance, the spa will offer four different types of sauna,” says Markku Remes, Finnair’s Customer Experience Development Manager. “There will be a spruce sauna and a stone sauna from the Alps, a steam sauna, and a traditional Finnish sauna, which actually provides a view over a mineral water pool to the airport’s runways.”

Via Spa’s innovative concept is based on the ideology and research of the German spa pioneer Paul Haslauer and offers new-generation, naturopathic treatments. All of the spa’s products are pure, organic preparations. Available services include (shorter) treatments designed especially for transit passengers, as well as a cold water paddling pool and a mineral water pool to alleviate travel fatigue and the effects of jet-lag.

Notes Michael Maass, Finnair’s Sales Director for North America: “A big step in the transformation of the Helsinki Airport terminal extension already took place in September when new shops opened their doors along with the 400-seat My City Helsinki restaurant world. At the same time, we opened new departure gates and a seven-line security check area for arriving transit passengers.”

The Via Spa and Via Lounge are located at the end of the new Helsinki Airport terminal extension. The stylish Via Lounge has room for around 250 customers and includes six private shower rooms, a buffet, a Via Bar and various relaxation areas. Passengers may also enjoy the free WI-FI network, work stations outfitted with computers, and multi-purpose facilities. Services are provided in cooperation with Finnair’s long-term partner SSP Finland Oy.

The Via Lounge is open from 6 AM to midnight, and the Via Spa is open from 10 AM to 10 PM.

Access to the Via Lounge is free for Finnair Business Class passengers and Finnair Plus Platinum/Gold/Silver card holders plus one guest, and to oneworld Emerald/Sapphire card holders plus one guest. Other customers who wish to use the facility are charged 45 Euros per person.

The Via Spa offers free access for Finnair Plus Platinum card holders (no guests) and any customer wishing to use the service at a charge of 45 Euros. Personal well-being treatments are available between noon and 8 PM at an additional charge.

Finnair has focused on increasing its traffic to and from the Far East via Helsinki since the turn of the millennium, and the number of transit passengers has developed favorably this year, even in the current challenging competitive environment. Currently, Finnair’s route network includes more than 50 international destinations, and 700 more through its cooperation with oneworld alliance partners.