Nordic carrier Finnair will cancel approximately 140 flights on Friday (2 May) following planned strike action by the Finnish Aviation Union (IAU).
The four-hour-long industrial action will take place in “different shifts” on Friday and is not tied to a specific time, according to the IAU. The work stoppage is therefore expected to affect “many functions” related to Finnair’s flight operations and ground services at Helsinki Airport.
In a statement, the carrier said the cancellations will affect some 12,000 customers and “due to the high number of cancellations, rerouting all customers may take time”. Alternatively, affected customers will also be able to cancel their reservation and apply for a refund.
Finnair chief operating officer, Jaakko Schildt, said: "We are sorry for the situation and will do everything we can to ensure that every customer receives a suitable new routing as soon as possible."
In additional to flight cancellations, the industrial action is expected to cause flight delays and disruptions to baggage handling and catering services. The carrier warned that some short-haul flights on Friday may be operated without baggage and meals loaded onto the aircraft. Long-haul flights will not be impacted by the catering limitations, it said.
The IAU has also announced similar industrial action for Monday 5 May. Finnair said it is “still assessing the exact effects” on traffic, but that it is likely to cause additional disruption. Helsinki Airport has also warned travellers to expect flight delays and "occasional queues" on both Friday 2 May and Monday 5 May.