Finnair to link Helsinki and Ivalo with Kirkenes
The Finnish flag carrier starts flying to the Norwegian Barents Sea destination in next year’s summer program.
The route will be year-around with three weekly flights; Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. It will be operated with Finnair’s 68-seater ATR propeller aircraft that today fly interregional routes domestically in Finland and to destinations in the Nordics and the Baltics.
Kirkenes will be Finnair’s third destination in northern Norway. From before, both Tromsø and Bodø are connected with Rovaniemi and Helsinki.
“We are delighted to introduce a destination that further strengthens our already extensive network in the Arctic region. The new route enables a smooth connection for customers travelling up to northern Norway, making it fast and easy to reach the destination from Helsinki,” says Ole Orvér, Chief Commercial Officer at Finnair.
In recent years, Finnish Lapland has experienced a boom in international tourism, especially during the winter season. From the ski resort in Saariselkä, busloads of especially Asia travellers have this winter flocked to Kirkenes to experience the Barents Sea coast and get a taste of the King Crab.
In the 1960s and early 1970s, Finnair had a route from Helsinki via Ivalo to Kirkenes.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: As wildfire season looms, N.W.T. businesses brace for another bad year, CBC News
Finland: Want a bargain holiday home in Finland? Look northward, Yle News
Norway: Europe needs unique iron ore from Kirkenes, says Swedish mine developer, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: Substantial expansion of trout farming in cooling water of Kola nuclear power plant, The Independent Barents Observer
