Finnair Non-Schengen lounge Helsinki Lounge
Oh dear, what have Finnair done?
The old Helsinki Finnair Non-Schengen Business Class Lounge was a little small, but had windows, flair, and a spa.
The new variant has none of these, and is as dull as it could possibly be. Poor food, but a decent bar, although it closes very early.
NEWS: Finnair has completed the rebuild of its flagship non-Schengen lounge at the airline's Helsinki hub. Gone is the designer interior with sheer curtains and stunning bar, to be replaced with a rather dull waiting room with more seats. The brand new Finnair non-Schengen Helsinki lounge along with the new Platinum wing provides 200 additional seats over the older lounges they replace.
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Helsinki Finnair Non-Schengen Business Class lounge review
Helsinki Finnair Business Class Lounge Non-Schengen The Non-Schengen Finnair Helsinki lounge is frequently called the Finnair long-haul lounge, situated as it is after passport control for US and Asian flights to all non-Schengen destinations (non EU), but it also receives flights such as the UK (which is short-haul).
As a result this lounge can be quite quiet in the day, but absolutely rammed at around 11pm each night before the Hong Kong and Singapore flights depart.
The Finnair Helsinki Non-Schengen lounge has also won numerous awards. Which makes it so odd that the lounge is a major disappointment. It really isn't worth while spending a lot of time here, and if you are arriving or departing inter-Schengen, the Schengen Helsinki lounge may be a better bet; at least it has windows.
Helsinki Finnair Business Class Lounge Non-Schengen To find the Finnair Helsinki lounge, head down pretty much to the far end of the non-Schengen section of the terminal: the entrance is on the right beside the corridor. Once inside, you don't need to explore much - the lounge is essentially one large room, with the windows now blanked over, so you cant see outside.
The Business Lounge was designed as a collaboration between Helsinki-based KOKO3, London-based Tangerine and Finnair's internal design team.
The aesthetic of the non-Schengen Finnair Helsinki Business Lounge complex marks the emergence of Finnair's new design language which centres on Nordicness, simplicity, clean lines, natural materials and texture to provide a warmer and more human experience.
Helsinki Finnair Business Class Lounge Non-Schengen As you walk in, the lounge has a vast reception area, beside which is the museum of Finnair, with old uniforms and marketing materials. Then you have to wave your boarding card through an automated gate, before entering what appears to be the main lounge.
Here there are three ball chairs, left over from the old original lounge. These chairs are one of the most famous and beloved classics of Finnish design and it was the international breakthrough of Eero Aarnio.
Behind these is a kind of fenced off area, with high tables and bar stools to the left, while the area is enclosed with a circular bench seat, and along the far wall is a refectory area with beer taps and an urn containing bottles of wine.
Helsinki Finnair Business Class LoungeMany people mistake this for the main lounge, but there is plenty more.
If you turn around to the entrance, there is a corridor with lockers for your bags, so you don't have to cart them through the lounge.
Further around there is a comfy sitting area, with decent armchairs and sofas. The furniture selection includes both classic design pieces from esteemed Nordic brands that stand the test of time. Imagine a lot of bleached pine, and shades of grey.
Then you come to an area where an attempt has been made to partition off the big space, with the area broken up in a variety of smaller pockets aligned to different customers, with three high glass walls separating off a quiet area and a children's room in the middle of the lounge. Sadly, the children's room lacks anything of interest except a Finish Moomintroll lamp, so it's pretty much a wasted effort. It is called the family pocket, and stocked with games and activities which is available for those travelling with children, but few of these are on display.
Helsinki Finnair Business Class Lounge Non-Schengen It is also directly opposite the bathrooms, and where there are huge queues for them, which just means the space is rather under utilised.
And then you enter the vast lounge, in one big room.
The deeper you go into the lounge, the quieter and more private it becomes. Several different seating options are available, ranging from social open banquet style seating suitable for groups through to more private solo seating.
There are power outlets at almost every seated position. Soundproof phone booths are also available.
On the right are Finnair's attempts at making a Solo chair, rather like Cathay Pacific's version. It comes Grey, and has a little shelf on which you can perch a laptop, along with a mains power socket.
Helsinki Finnair Business Class Lounge Non-Schengen To the left is the main dining area, and it is clear the whole premise of this lounge was that it was designed for pre-flight dining, allowing you maximum sleeping time on board a flight to Asia (and on which in business class, meals were reduced to sleeper 'small/light' meals). Alas pre-flight dining now ends at 10pm, a good 3 hours before all the Asian flights leave, and on which (you've guessed it) the meals are still very small. Well thought out, it isn't.
The bulk of the lounge is designed as a seating area with high office style dividers, and groups of two or four seats. In the middle of this is the lounge highlight, the cocktail bar.
Towards the end of the lounge an attempt has been made to separate off a sleeping area, with high partitions separating an area with... yet more seats, and a few recliners.
Around all the walls are bench seats, separated into kinds of alcoves, and with small coffee tables infront which looks amazing but is woefully impractical for more than a few hours seating, dining, or working.
Helsinki Finnair Business Class Lounge Non-Schengen Food
Food is the major problem of the Finnair Non-Schengen Business Class lounge: quite simply, there is little food, it runs out quickly, and what there is, is dull. All day and evening there is salad, which is basically a bowl of lettuce and tomato, along with Greek and green salads, with three types of olive oil dressing. At peak times (lunch and dinner (5pm-8pm) there are also two bowls of chicken and beef, plus some rice. Occasionally there are warm chicken satays and soup.However in the evening (10 pm onwards) these dishes are left out until they go cold or run out, and not refilled or replaced: by 11pm when the lounge really starts to get busy, there is frequently nothing left. Then then food closes. All this a couple of hours before the late evening flight, just when you want to eat before a flight.
Helsinki Finnair Business Class Lounge Non-Schengen Finnair claim there is a fresh Nordic menu with the best local produce in season, and the lounge is operated in partnership with Finnish food provider Fazer, who prepare food in a new open kitchen concept, providing a rotating menu of a choice of three main courses with meat, fish and vegetarian options, six salads and a wide selection of desserts. However, which comes through during the day, but forget the evening.
Bar
The bar is equally poor, and recent cut backs mean that at peak times, there is little selection. Sure, there is a good fridge in which you can see lots of good bottles of wine, but you can't actually get at them. Instead on the worktops there is an ice bucket with one type of white, and a red on the worktop too.
However, there is a new full-service bar right in the middle of the lounge. It is the large circular bar beyond the TV area, and operates at peak times offering an enhanced range of beverages including premium alcohol and specialty coffees. There is even a cocktail list with complementary cocktails, including the signature Nordic Blush with gin.
Alas, the bar closes early, and when the staff want to go home really early, you can find it shutting at 10 or 11pm. There are generally huge queues at this time.
Several drinks stations are dotted throughout the lounge, alongside a quick coffee area at the front of the lounge for those who are in a hurry.
There are three beer taps, with two types of Finnish lager and a darker ale on tap, next to the soft drinks fountain.
Helsinki Finnair Business Class Lounge Non-Schengen There is no Champagne, unless you go to the 'paid' bar (closes 9pm) and there there is Mumm Cordon Rouge for sale. The exception is Joseph Perrier Cuvée Royale Brut Champagne which is complimentary for Finnair Plus Platinum members.
The 'paid' bar also sells spirits, with a fairly mediocre and expensive selection. Other than that, if you are after spirits, you need to be a Finnair Plus top-tier member to get anything complementary, when you will be offered house spirits.
Business Facilities
There are no longer any computers in the lounge, and it is strictly a bring your own device affair.There is however free and fast Wifi, which is provided by the Helsinki Airport-wide free wifi.
Helsinki Finnair Business Class Lounge Non-Schengen There are a few newspapers on the counter beside the reception desk, and several free magazines, but little of interest.
Bathrooms
The novel Finnish spa and sauna have been recently removed from the lounge. These are only available on the new premium side. There are however bathrooms in the lounge.For those wishing to freshen up, five newly refurbished shower suites stocked with L:a Bruket cosmetics can be booked with a touchscreen reservation system.
However, many of the bathrooms are also shower suites, leaving just a tiny bathroom for non showers. This can lead to huge queues, and it is again another area where the lounge falls down a bit.
Access
Helsinki Finnair Business Class Lounge Non-Schengen The Finnair Helsinki Business Lounge non-Schengen is available to all Finnair Business Class customers, Finnair Plus Gold and oneworld Sapphire members when the departure flight leaves from the non-Schengen area and is operated and marketed by a oneworld airline. All other customers can purchase lounge access for off-peak hours either in advance or at the lounge reception. The Lounge fits 600 customers.
The lounge is open daily from 0530 to 2359, or midnight.
All other customers can purchase lounge access for off-peak hours either in advance or at the lounge reception.
Incidentally, this lounge used to be known as the Finnair Helsinki Silver Wings lounge.
Video: Finnair Business Class Lounge Non-Schengen
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Helsinki Airport Guide
| Finnair Non-Schengen lounge Helsinki Lounge | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rating |
Lounge Index
| |
| Pros | Comfortable seats Cocktail bar |
|
| Cons | Really bad design No windows Closes early |
|
| Location | Airside, Non-Schengen, by gates 36 | |
| Opening hours | 0030-0030 | |
| Cost | Daypass US$50 | |
| Lounge for: | Finnair | |
| Other Airlines: | British Airways Helsinki Lounge | |
| Access | Finnair Business Class, Finnair Plus Platinum, Gold and Silver members, Qantas Gold and Platinum, BA Gold & Silver, and oneworld Sapphire and Emerald frequent flyers | |