Transit Time at Helsinki - 55min??

Hi Everyone,

Has anyone had experience with a quick transfer through Helsinki. I am flying from London landing in Helsinki at 23.00 then departing again at 23.55 to Hong Kong. Seem's very tight but that is how Finnair scheduled my flights. I have never been through Helsinki so not sure what to expect.

Should I be asking for an earlier arrival into Helsinki or has anyone successfully made this transit?

Thanks in advance!

I've done this although my transit was 70 mins. I had time to visit the lounge even. Helsinki is a tiny, efficiently run airport. Your only concern is a delay in London, but then AY would reschedule you anyway (I think they fly twice daily to HK nowadays).

I have done the 55 mins a few times. Its easy as you are going from non shengen to non shengen. the gates are close and the lounge is in between. no hastles. Good luck

the key is your destination. You do not have to cross passport control, which is usually dramatic during the day with significant arrivals.

Check helsinki departures during the time of your arrival to be on the safe side.

However, if any airline books you with 55min transit (i have done it with Cathay and Singapore), this means they take the liability to pop you on the next service if you arrive late (this may inconvenience you, but if you did not choose the 55min option, they would give you the longer layover in the first place as your second choice).

Trust the system. Helsinki is a very easy airport to navigate.

Minimum connecting time in Helsinki is 35 minutes - I have done it on multiple occasions in less than that (as the incoming flight was delayed) and usually Finnair waits some time for late passengers to arrive. It's an easy airport for transfers (as mspcooper has pointed out) and there is no further security screening upon arrival in Helsinki, i.e. one just goes through immigration and then on to the gate. It may just be a bit of a walk if you arrive at gate 12 or thereabouts and depart at gate 56 or so.

Totally agree with comments above. Another help is that Finnair often advise departing gate numbers of connecting flights on the inflight entertainment, or the flight attendants will go through them upon landing. I would imagine that there would be a number of people on London flight connecting with Hong Kong (and other points such as Singapore). I would think that if running late then they would wait. If you are concerned there are a number of earlier flights from London (and remember they often codeshare with BA). There is usually one that leaves about 4pm and gets in about 9pm if you are really concerned.

I've never had any problem with a quick transit in Helsinki to catch the Hong Kong or Singapore flight.

Thanks Everyone - my mind is at ease. Looking forward to trying this route out as the price was fantastic to get from Sydney to London.

just make sure you eat beforehand, Finnair economy can be very food-light in my experience.

Thankfully I'll be up the front of the plane so hopefully that won't be an issue

Flew out of Helsinki on an internal flight north scheduled for 7 am. We arrived at 5 am to find the place chockers. Self checking desks were incomprehensible and totally inflexible if individual cases were marginally over the weight limit, but within the allowance per person. Managers had to be called resolve the idiosyncratic rules is rules problems to most of the more elderly travellers. Some luggage was left behind, take your chances, but I would recommend to allow a minimum of one hour or more

I probably would not allow only 55 mins between flights at any other airport but always found transfers at Helsinki easy with no delays getting from one flight to the next.

I have made a 40-minute connection in HEL several times and on each occasion not only made it easily, I stopped off at the lounge and had a drink and a shower, all within that time!

I would not concern yourself with OttoV's experience - he was clearly flying domestic and therefore through an entirely different part of the airport and had to deal with check-in and security there. You won't. Finnair are VERY focused on their Europe-Asia flights and will do everything they can to ensure connections work, including delaying the 'plane on the second sector if need be.

You may wish to consider pre-ordering your meal on-line. As a J passenger you can pre-book any of the standard meals, and can also order one of a couple of special dishes (available on long-haul out of HEL) - one of these is usually a reindeer steak which is really quite good.

If you are tall I recommend you try to book one of the seats immediately behind the bulkhead, since the footwell on these is larger than on the others. You may get a little more noise, but for me it's a worthwhile trade-off. Having said that, noise is always an issue on AY. They make a quite extraordinary number of announcements, all quite loud, including during the night-time period when I am categorically NOT interested in hearing about whatever crappy offer they have on in-flight sales. Good earplugs are a must. Eyeshades are a good idea too as the meal service is usually quite slow and they often don't dim the cabin lights until two or three hours into the flight.

Happy travels!

My record time is 15 min from bus transit with stand arrival (bus left airplane), thue passport control (self), till I was at my seat - Boarding completed :-)