Helsinki has never been so well connected with Asia for the movement of cargo. From Summer 2013 there will be a total of 14 Finnair Cargo routes into Asia with the opening of Finnair’s new routes to Hanoi, Vietnam, and Xi’an in Northwestern China.
“Finnair strategy is to double its Asian turnover by 2020, and the new Summer 2013 Asian network offers a wide variety of alternatives and unique destinations, including Chongqing, Xi’an and Hanoi. With new freighter connections from Brussels via Helsinki we will offer excellent cargo service between Europe and Asia,” says Juha Järvinen, Managing Director of Finnair Cargo.
The Summer of 2013 will also see added frequencies to existing destinations, such as Tokyo Narita. Freighter services to Mumbai, India, will similarly be reinforced with a second weekly rotation to Mumbai.
Finnair Group’s Asia strategy has resulted in Helsinki becoming an important freight hub with over 60% of import cargo from Asia flying on to various European destinations via the Finnish capital. With the April opening of its new Brussels freight hub, Finnair is poised to become a Top Five cargo carrier between Europe and Northeast Asia, says the cargo operator.
So why develop a second European hub to supplement Helsinki? The answer is that Finnair aims to double its turnover on Asian routes by 2020 and the new Brussels hub – with its pharmaceutical industry connections in Benelux, Northern France and Western Germany – will enable this. From April 6, 2013, Finnair Cargo will operate MD-11 freighter flights every week which connect Brussels with Helsinki, New York JFK and Chicago O’Hare. Finnair and freight are firmly on the map.
More about Helsinki’s freight and transport community: www.helsinkibusinesshub.fi
