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Finnair has announced that it will furlough 36 long-haul pilots from the end of September until at least May 2026. This decision arises from the ongoing dispute with the company's pilots' union, which opposes proposed changes to the collective agreement, particularly involving stand-by duty.
The Finnish airline plans to reduce the number of wet-lease routes operated on behalf of Qantas. Flights from Sydney Airport to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport and Singapore Changi Airport have been affected, with Finnair intending to cancel the wet lease agreement on one route.
Chief Operating Officer of Finnair, Jaakko Schildt, stated that the “pilots’ actions have affected its ability to operate flights on behalf of Qantas, resulting in changes in our collaboration and, consequently, the need to furlough some of our pilots.” He termed the situation as “unfortunate for all parties.”
