This Underrated Airline Has a Sauna in Its Lounge — Plus Particularly Snug Enterprise-class Seats

Typically, unconventional works. 

Finnair will not be the primary alternative for US vacationers headed overseas. Nevertheless, the Helsinki-based provider ought to definitely be within the dialog. First off, the favorable geographic location of Finland’s capital makes it comparatively simple for vacationers to attach from the US East Coast to components of Japanese Europe and Asia. (And that’s to not point out how seamless it’s to switch at Helsinki Airport.) 

As well as, Finnair has a superb premium product, and I acquired to pattern it on a current flight between Los Angeles and Helsinki. The airline’s newest enterprise class seat, dubbed the AirLounge, shouldn’t be solely one of many extra distinctive seats flying in the present day, however it’s additionally extremely snug. 

I can discuss concerning the native Finnish touches, from the colourful Merimekko-branded amenity kits and pillow to the gorgeous Iittala glassware, however it’s the love-it-or-hate-it non-reclining seat that captures vacationers’ consideration. 

That’s proper, Finnair flies a enterprise seat on long-haul worldwide flights—like on my 12-hour transatlantic journey—that doesn’t recline within the conventional sense. 

Right here’s what the expertise was like, together with a cease on the Finnair Platinum Wing Lounge, the place weary vacationers can sweat it out inside one of many world’s solely in-airport saunas. 

On the Lounge

Finnair has maybe one of the vital surprising options in an airport lounge. Flyers can expertise Finnish sauna tradition with out ever leaving the airport. 

The sauna is hidden in plain sight inside the airline’s Platinum Wing Lounge. It’s not notably nicely marked, and visitors who aren’t within the know could by no means discover it. When coming into the lounge, the sauna is positioned to your left by way of separate female and male altering rooms. 

Sadly, the Platinum Wing Lounge isn’t open to each business-class traveler. The house is reserved for top-tier Finnair elites and Oneworld Emerald frequent flyers. I used to be in a position to achieve entry because of my standing with American Airways, one other Oneworld member provider. (Non-elite vacationers with lounge entry are directed to the usual Finnair Lounge.) 

I strolled into the male altering room to start collaborating in one among Finland’s oldest traditions. The house options lockers deep sufficient to stow a small curler board together with two showers stocked with L:a Bruket facilities. I undressed, wrapped myself in a big towel, and opened the door to the sauna. 

It’s not an enormous house; maybe three different visitors can take part earlier than it will get uncomfortably crowded. Fortunately, more often than not, it’s empty. The sauna is undoubtedly a cool novelty and never a nasty strategy to go time between flights. (Professional tip: seize an ice-cold drink from the bar and produce it inside.)

The remainder of the Platinum Wing Lounge has a stunning, mild shade palette with intensive use of birch wooden. It options the identical deep blue accents that you just’ll discover on the brand new Finnair enterprise class seat. 

What the Enterprise Class Seat is Like 

Talking of the seat, earlier this yr, Finnair accomplished the fleetwide refurbishment of its long-haul enterprise class cabin. Meaning each widebody aircraft now options the AirLounge, a fixed-shell seat measuring over six ft lengthy.

The Airbus A350-900 that took me throughout the Atlantic featured 43 enterprise class seats unfold in a 1-2-1 format throughout 10 rows. What struck me initially was simply how welcoming the entry house was, as passengers boarded by way of a galley within the airline’s navy blue palette, full with a stunning backlit mirror.

Then, I observed the big, deeply padded cocoon-like pods. As a substitute of making a enterprise class seat with a number of components such as you would possibly see on different airways, Finnair went for one thing completely different. The AirLounge is nearly solely mounted in place, and you employ the seat’s interior shell to discover a snug sitting place. 

The airline did this, partly, to avoid wasting on upkeep prices and cut back weight (and thus, gasoline burn). Nevertheless, I discovered the seat to be extremely cozy to each sit in and lie flat on, with loads of space for storing and room for my ft and legs. Whereas the AirLounge doesn’t have a sliding door, there may be nonetheless ample privateness because of the big winged shell. 

To position your self into mattress mode, a flap rotates up and turns into flush with the seat floor, filling the hole within the footwell to create a flatbed. Then, to get snug, very similar to on a sofa or mattress at residence, you modify your physique to search out the right sleeping place. 

Add in a easy, but scrumptious dinner and some glasses of the airline’s well-known blueberry juice, and I nodded off for a several-hour nap earlier than touchdown.