Flying: Finnair A340-300 Economy Class Helsinki to Singapore 2015

The layover at Helsinki airport was a short one with only less than an hour before the boarding time for my next flight, so I was kind of in a rush to clear immigration and save some time for a quick meal and charging my phone.

However, I made a silly mistake at the border control by showing my passport to the immigration officer, without presenting the residence permit issued by the St Gallen cantonal immigration department. So I was admonished by the border guard for nearly activating an alarm for over-stayers.

As usual I was among the last passengers to board the aircraft, though I made it a point to say hi to the pilots when walking down the jet bridge. 

I was greeted at the cabin by a steward and a stewardess. I couldn't help but to notice that unlike my outbound flight in February, this flight was staffed by an all Asian crew.

Finnair 81
Helsinki (HEL) – Singapore (SIN) 
Tuesday, May 31 2015
Depart: 11:55PM
Arrive: 16:40PM (+1)
Flight time: 12hr20min
Aircraft: Airbus A340-300
Seat: 31A

This time round the flight was less full so the crew was making announcements over the PA offering economy plus seats with additional legroom.

We pushed off at 12:04AM, slightly behind schedule. The continuous daylight was indeed fascinating, since it was approaching summer solstice, with the sun still not fully set by mid-night. We had a quick taxi in the continuous daylight and took off at 12:14AM.

Dinner was served about an hour after take-off. The bread was actually delicious, though the main course is only passable. The dessert however, really pales in comparison the blueberry cheesecake on the outbound from Singapore.

Again I had a Finnish beer to accompany. I guess I am beginning to fell in love with this bear brew.

Snacks were set up after meal service at the galley, though I was a little amused by the consistency of the catering both flying into and out of Helsinki.

When I woke up again we have just crossed India, with about 4 hours left before arriving in Singapore. My seat mate glanced over and told me that how amazed he was that I managed to stay asleep for nearly 6 hours continuously. I smirked and told him I managed more than 7 on the outbound from Singapore in February. 

I managed to wash up before the other passengers wake up as the cabin lights were turned on and breakfast was served.

Well, I suppose the only compliment that I can give to the breakfast was that it was perfectly edible and fully heated, which is significantly better than some lukewarm servings elsewhere, or worse cold sandwiches.

As the MBS towers began to appear on the horizon it's again the final descent into Changi. 

Conclusion

From a value for money perspective, I am well-satisfied with the service from Finnair. Granted, the Middle Eastern carriers may offer comparable fares with newer aircraft and sometimes better catering, the value proposition of Finnair is really in the short transit time in its Helsinki hub, as well as the small size and ease of navigation in the airport.

Furthermore, since I cleared Schengen immigration in Helsinki, it saves me the hassle of clearing immigration at my final destination, which can be a huge relief if arriving in CDG or FRA, where immigration queue can sometimes be quite insane. 

In addition, while it can sometimes be quite difficult to credit miles for the Middle Eastern carriers, and often the miles are discounted, I received full credit for the miles flown on Finnair, all duly credited to my American Airlines AAdvantage account.