Flybe announces major agreement with Finnair PLC to co-operate on the delivery of regional services in the Scandinavian and Baltic Sea area

Flybe, the UK‟s largest domestic airline and Europe‟s largest regional airline today announced that it has reached agreement with Finnair PLC to provide regional services in Scandinavian and Baltic Sea Areas.

This exciting co-operation will begin October 31st 2010 with Flybe commencing services to key Scandinavian and Baltic markets from Helsinki airport that will include Tampere, Turku and Tallinn. This service provision is expected to grow beyond three aircraft in the summer of 2011.

Flybe and Finnair have also agreed to begin discussions on a potential wider co-operation agreement, which could see Flybe providing a range of services across Nordic and Baltic Sea markets.

Jim French, Chairman and CEO commented: "This is an exciting time for Flybe and this is a further exciting development. Finnair is one of Europe‟s oldest, most respected and dynamic airlines. We look forward to serving the Scandinavian and Baltic markets in partnership with Finnair. We also look forward to exploring deeper co-operation with Finnair to develop Nordic market entry strategies."

Finnair is one of the world's oldest operating airlines, was established on 1st November, 1923. Its operations focus on transporting passengers between Europe and Asia, via Helsinki.

Finnair Group operations cover scheduled passenger traffic and leisure traffic, technical and ground handling operations, catering, travel agencies as well as travel information and reservation services. The subsidiaries provide air traffic support services or operate in closely related areas.

In recent years, Finnair has emerged as a major player in traffic between Europe and Asia. Finnair's intercontinental destinations in Asia include Seoul in South Korea, Delhi in India, Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong in China, Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya in Japan and Bangkok in Thailand.

source: flybe