Finnair Cancels 100 Monday Flights (May 5, 2025) Due Strikes & Other Airlines Also Affected

Strikes by various employee groups on May 5, 2025, will affect Finnair and other airlines’ traffic at multiple airports in Finland.

More than 300 employees handling passengers, ground handling, and cargo are striking at various hours on Monday, and Finnair has preemptively canceled 100 flights scheduled for that day.

You can access Finnair here.

Finnair has cancelled 100 flights scheduled for Monday, and there are likely cancellations by other airlines as well. Some flights may operate without catering, with limited catering options, or depart without checked bags.

Passengers whose travel is disrupted will be contacted by the airline. Finnair has also allowed passengers to change flights to non-strike days.

The EC 261/2004 Air Passenger Rights legislation also applies during these strikes. The airlines are required to rebook you to your final destination as soon as possible and provide Duty to Care (accommodation and meals) in case of long delays.

Passengers whose flight is cancelled or significantly delayed can also opt for a refund, but that is their choice.

The delay compensation doesn’t apply if the striking employees are not employed by the airline.

Finnair’s EC 261/2004 Notice:

May 2^nd Strike Notice:

Preliminary Notice of Strikes on May 2^nd

The Airline Industry Union (IAU) will organize four-hour strikes across several companies on Friday, May 2nd. The strikes will primarily involve workers starting their shifts four hours later than they would normally on that day. The affected workers, approximately 600 in total, are responsible for providing ground handling and catering services for Finnair as well as its aircraft maintenance and repair services. The impact will also extend to ground handling services for other airlines.

Since the end of January, IAU has been in unsuccessful negotiations with the Service Employers’ Association (PALTA) over a new collective agreement for aviation services. A fundamental disagreement between the negotiating parties centers on whether there is still justification for a contract solution below the general labor market level.

In the chart above, the salary increases agreed upon in the sector are compared to those aligned with the general labor market level from 2019 to 2024. Due to the dual crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion, no salary increases were implemented in 2021 and 2022, resulting in a 4.3% gap behind general wage development in the sector. Finnair’s comparable operating profit turned positive during 2023.

The “general line” sought by the company in the collective agreement negotiations would lead to an even greater gap between the sector’s wages and the general labor market level in the upcoming contract period, adding 0.1 percentage points to the existing 4.3% gap each year.

IAU’s goal is for the sector’s working conditions to once again align with the general labor market level during the contract period, and for temporary savings measures to end. Should this goal be achieved, IAU would accept the permanent cost savings remaining from both the wage development gap below the general labor market level during 2021–2024, as well as the still-open gap for the new contract period.

May 5 Strike Notice:

Advance Notice of Strikes on May 5th

In addition to the previously announced strikes on Friday, May 2nd, the Finnish Aviation Union (IAU) has also scheduled strikes for Monday, May 5th. The strikes will involve over 300 employees responsible for Finnair’s passenger, ground handling, and cargo services. These strikes will also impact ground handling and cargo operations for other airlines.

The new strikes were officially notified today to the national mediator in accordance with the labor dispute notification law. IAU has held unsuccessful negotiations with the Service Sector Employers PALTA since the end of January regarding the renewal of the collective labor agreement for aviation services.

Finnair’s Press Release for May 5 Strike

Finnair to cancel approximately 100 flights due to industrial action at Helsinki Airport on 5 May, re-routes customers to alternative flights

The Finnish Aviation Union IAU has announced industrial action at Finnair’s home hub Helsinki Airport, causing extensive disruptions to Finnair traffic on Monday, 5 May. According to the IAU, the industrial action will be four-hour-long and will take place in different shifts. Therefore, the industrial actions are not tied to a specific time but will affect many functions that are essential for Finnair’s flights during the day, such as ground handling operations and cargo services.

As the industrial action will cause significant disruptions to the operation of flights, Finnair will have to cancel approximately 100 flights on Monday. Flight cancellations are expected to affect approximately 7,500 Finnair customers. Finnair will offer customers of cancelled flights an alternative flight, which the customer can see in the Manage booking service on Finnair’s website or in the Finnair mobile application.

“We are very sorry about the ongoing changes to our customers’ travel plans due to these industrial actions, including the most recent one this Friday. Our team is working diligently to offer alternative solutions to affected customers,” says Jaakko Schildt, Finnair’s Chief Operating Officer.

Customers whose flight was cancelled due to industrial action will be informed about the cancellation as soon as it has been done. After this, the customer will receive a message and be offered a new route, which will also be visible in Finnair’s Manage booking service and mobile application. Customers are asked to make sure that their contact information is up to date on their reservation. Due to the high number of cancellations, rerouting all customers may take time, and customers might have to wait for a while for their new route. The offered routing can be changed within the limits of flight availability in Manage booking or through customer service. Alternatively, customers can cancel their reservation and apply for a refund for the unused ticket.

The industrial action might cause disruptions, for example, in the baggage handling at Helsinki Airport on Monday, so customers travelling on Monday are encouraged to check-in in advance, arrive at the airport on time and pack essential items, such as medicines, in carry-on baggage.

The IAU has also announced similar industrial action on Friday, 16 May. Finnair is still assessing the exact effects of the industrial action on that day’s traffic, but it is likely that if it takes place, it will cause disruptions on that day as well.

Conclusion

Finnair still hasn’t reached an agreement with its Pilot Union (the negotiations have been ongoing for about six months), and hundreds of flights have been cancelled as the cockpit crew refuse to work overtime or cover pilots who call in sick.

According to the union release, these ground handling employee wages have fallen behind since the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia shock, and the goal is to get them back on track.

There will be an additional strike on May 16 by the same trade unions that will likely have similar disruptions to Finnair’s flight schedule.

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