Do you know Finnair now has unbundled business class tickets available?

Finnair has unbundled their business class fares, which are available to purchase from today. This means both cabins now offer extra choice for customers, and cheaper prices depending on what you need.

These have been divided into three groups and have imaginative names bestowed upon them. I’m sure nobody will be surprised or confused at Business Light, Business Classic and Business Flex, right?

What Does Unbundling Do?

Most business class tickets contain a bunch of perks over economy class. These generally include things such as extra baggage, lounge access, priority check-in, complimentary meals and so on. Finnair’s reasoning is that some people don’t require all the add-ons and so they have split it up.

Passengers purchasing Business Light receive no checked baggage allowance at all. There is also no lounge access (though you can purchase it), no priority boarding, no priority check-in, no fast-track security, no free Internet access and fewer frequent flyer awards. It’s designed to offer “more choice and personalisation options”, according to the press release.

Is It Actually Cheaper?

Business class tickets in Europe vary in price quite dramatically. The best prices are often found on the largest carriers, such as British Airways/Iberia, Lufthansa/Swiss and Air France/KLM. Smaller European airlines such as Finnair or airBaltic tend to demand quite high prices for their premium cabins.

In this instance, the prices for the new Finnair Business Light tickets are cheaper than what was historically being charged. When I was previously booking flights on the route above, the business class tickets certainly did not begin with a two. It offers a saving, but not a particularly substantial one.

Is This Becoming A Thing?

Finnair are not the first airline to do this. In recent memory, Qatar Airways have gone down the same path, unbundling their business class from November 2020.

On European flights I never check in a bag, so not “paying” for this makes sense. That also means I don’t use a check-in desk, as I use my phone instead. However, I most certainly do use the lounge, priority boarding and security. All of that adds to the experience for me.

Still, there are business people who arrive at the airport, go through security and get on the flight. These people will have no baggage and have no time to be dallying in the lounge, so there’s certainly a market for it.

The fact lounge access is available for purchase on Finnair (and Qatar Airways, for that matter) means that you really have control. You can spend on exactly what you will use.

Overall Thoughts

It is fine that Finnair are offering a more customisable unbundled business class ticket for sale. It will appeal to those who want to save money as the most important part really is when you’re on the plane.

That being said, the Helsinki based airline prices lounge access at €48 in off-peak hours (9am to 1pm and 6pm to 11pm). When you add that price to the Business Light ticket above, the saving over the next level reduces so much that you may as well pay the extra €20 for all the bells and whistles.

What do you think of the unbundled fares being offered by Finnair? How does the whole concept grab you overall? Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.

Like planes? See my “Does anyone remember” series.
Flight reviews your thing? Mine are all indexed here.
Follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Featured image by Anna Zvereva via Wikimedia Commons.