REVIEW: Flying with Finnair to Guangzhou

Come May, Finnair will be launching their 6th Destination in Greater China, Guangzhou, a destination that has every right to be marked on, and stand tall on the Map.

Flights will operate 4 times a week from Finnairs hub in Helsinki, meaning a short stop over for those of us departing from London OR a layover long enough to explore the beautiful capital of Helsinki for an additional element to your adventure.

Guangzhou is the 3rd largest city in China with a population of 13 million. However, despite being most widely recognised for being a major trade and transportation center, Guangzhou (also known as Canton) is the home of Dimsum and Cantonese cuisine. 

Read more about Guangzhou and my adventure through the city here.

Lying a short distance from Hong Kong and nearby hotspots such as Guilin, Guangzhou is the perfect gateway to a diverse experience in China.

This was my first time flying with Finnair and despite, wonderfully, being invited to experience the journey in Business Class, i did take a good look around the rest of the aircraft and I was all but disappointed with what I saw.

Heading out to China I experienced the A330 and on the return journey we got to experience the brand new A350 – the next generation Airbus which was UNREAL. Improved space all around – a real game changer when choosing an airline for me.

Finnair has a distinctive design filled with greys, whites, greens and blues right through from their lounges to their aircrafts and accessories, with Marimekko designs consistent throughout.

Initially I found the colour combination slightly unwelcoming, but later reflected upon how the colours emitted a very fresh, clean and bright vibe, which on a long haul flight is actually quite comforting and refreshing.

The space and presentation of Economy class was effortlessly perfected with screens, blankets and headphones allocated to every passenger.

It goes without saying Business Class took it to the next level on the A330 and even higher on the A350. There really is nothing more satisfying than indulging in  a full 8 hour sleep on a night flight – something the 180 horizontal beds and comfort of Business Class accommodates for.

The difference in landing (ridiculously smooth) was something that definitely stood out to me on the A380, alongside the Bose Sound cancelling headphones, Clarins face products and Marimekko slippers. 

Finnair are absolutely nailing the removal of the ‘flight feeling’ and the enhancement of home comforts aboard their services.

One comment I would make would be the limited music choice for American / EU passengers.

 I like to fall asleep to music on a plane and I would have liked the comfort of some familiar music on the in-flight entertainment system. Instead I had John Legend – All Of Me (the only song on my iPhone) playing on repeat for 10 hours, so it’s a good job I was able to sleep through most of that!

That being a small comment in the grand scheme of things though, as I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the clouds with FinnAir and look forward to flying with them again in the future.