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 It
was early in the morning last week, just a few days before Finland’s
Independence Day (December 6th), when we sat with Pasi Nopanen in one
of those vest pocket hotels that line Rockaway Boulevard. Like the dashed
lines on a map, Rockaway Boulevard’s hotels draw the pathway to
New York City’s John F. Kennedy Airport.
Sales director Scandinavia & North America
for Finnair Cargo, Pasi Nopanen was bright faced and ready for action.
Now only two months into what he termed “the job of a lifetime,”
Pasi sees the airline continuing the tradition of keeping itself alive
and viable by being the fastest to recognize and build new markets. At
the moment, Finnair Cargo is just about to launch winter schedules.
Beginning December 14, AY goes into Miami
from Helsinki on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with services that increase to
thrice weekly (Saturdays) in January.
Finnair also will launch non-stop services
into Chicago twice weekly starting in June 2015.
“Miami returns our seasonal A330 service
providing excellent connections to and from Northern Europe and to our
expansive flights into Asia and India Subcontinent,” Pasi said.
“But we are looking at Chicago with
special interest and hope, as that busy and vital city is a key element
in our desire to grow our services into the Americas.”
Finnair discontinues all freighter services
systemwide on December 20, but those services were terminated earlier
this year for North America when the carrier went to GSA representation
in the Americas, naming Paul Umpleby of Network Cargo Services AY VP Sales
and Operations.
“Our moves have been met with positive
results for both our client base and also for Finnair,” Pasi Nopanen
said.
“We are building a new aircraft fleet
with the upcoming deliveries of Airbus A350 XWB aircraft which, rather
than constrict our available lift, will actually more than double our
ability to carry additional volumes of air cargo by 2020.
“In fact, our project 2020 has set
as its goal a revitalization of our entire air cargo product, with phased
in deliveries of new aircraft.
“So rather than shrink back from air
cargo, Finnair actually moves boldly ahead, aware of our rich and colorful
history leading up to celebrating 91 years of continual service.
“Yes, there is ongoing change, including
recognizing the economic realities of 2014 and beyond.
“But Finnair is very much what we
have always been: a niche layer with a highly developed culture for air
cargo and customer service that goes above and beyond the norm, and never
takes for granted or forgets how important our customers are.”
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As Pasi spoke, we were thinking
about Finnair and its long and colorful history.
For all its 91 years, AY has been, in truth,
quite unbeatable.
We recall writing a plan that the carrier
had in 1940 when we came upon a picture of AY staff at the 1939 World’s
Fair in New York City.
In the picture was a young lady from Finnair
(at the time the airline was called Aero OY) holding a model of a Focke
Wulf 200 “Condor” four-engine airplane, one of two that Aero
OY had ordered so that it could commence non-stop service from Helsinki
to European destinations and New York, as the 1940 Olympic Games were
to be held in Helsinki.
At the time the great airlines like Pan
Am, British, and some others were utilizing huge, lumbering flying boats,
and here came a European manufacturer in Germany with a pressurized, high
altitude four-engine airplane that might have changed history.
For as many years as we have known Finnair,
that sense of pioneering and destiny has not slackened a bit.
Today Finnair has built its future by adding
to its America’s routes via Helsinki to China, India, and most recently
into the red-hot markets of South East Asia.
Pasi Nopanen brings to his post at Finnair
Cargo a solid airline background having served in operations. He also
offers freight forwarding experience and has become familiar with many
of the shippers he now calls upon to do business with Finnair Cargo.
“You gain a certain perspective of
what is expected when you are on ‘the other side,’”
Pasi smiles.
“Today it cannot be emphasized enough
how critical it is to stay very close to the customer whilst letting everyone
up and down the line know what to expect.
“We simply believe the market demand
and reality underscore that nothing can be taken for granted and we must
perform above expectation.”
“I want to say to our major partners
that we realize the role of the freight forwarders is a difficult one.
“I can tell you, having worked on
the other side, dealing with shippers is no walk in the park.
“Finnair is reliable and transparent.
“We concentrate on doing some things
in air cargo very well while at the same time not fielding an offering
that is all over the lot.
“Our strategy is to analyze and be
decisive. That means less whining and more action,” Pasi said.
“Helsinki is the natural and easy
gateway between east and west and we want to bring the markets to our
country.
“The addition of new cargo-friendly
aircraft, to double available lift for air cargo in just six years, and
other enhancements point to an interesting future.
“I recognize that in some quarters
times are tough and uncertain, and we acknowledge the need for improvement
all around.
“But at the same time I am really
looking forward to 2015.”
Geoffrey/Sabiha/Flossie
|   As
We Go To Press . . .
Juha Järvinen, Finnair SVP
Commercial, and Managing Director of Finnair Cargo, (right) announced
the appointment of Antti Kuusenmäki (left) as VP Finnair Cargo.
Antti Kuusenmäki took over December 1 after
having served as Vice President Revenue and Network Management,
Finland.
Mr. Järvinen said, "Antii has extensive
airline experience in both cargo and passenger businesses, and now
takes leadership of Finnair Cargo at a very intriguing time, as
we are preparing for the A350 entry to Finnair fleet with additional
cargo capacity, and continue the planning of our new cargo terminal
project.
"I am looking forward to continue working
closely with the Finnair Cargo teams globally."
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