Blue Wings Jubilee issue December 2017

JUBILEE ISSUE TRENDS, DESTINATIONS AND INSIGHTS FOR TRAVELLERS

Your personal copy

DECEMBER 2017

SPA TIME IN

CHONGQING BRUSSELS’ BEST

WINTER BREWS JAPAN’S

START-UP MOMENT

At home

in the snow

Where we are going, trees can fly.

Everything that’s made with fossil-based materials now can be made from a tree in the future. Today, the books and magazines we read are made of a tree. Tomorrow, it’s about the solar panels from which we power our houses to the planes on which we arrive.

Join the journey: storaenso.com/renewablefuture

EDITORIAL

BY JAAKKO SCHILDT SVP OPERATIONS WWW.FINNAIR.COM

FOKUS MEDIA FINLAND PRODUCER Amanda Soila ART DIRECTOR Sirpa Ärmänen SUB-EDITOR Shelly Nyqvist VISUAL DESIGNERS Sesilja Lindell, Iris Mark EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Aino Vähälä ENGLISH EDITING Silja Kudel REPROGRAPHICS Faktor Oy COVER Emmi Parkkisenniemi

by Atte Mäläskä BEHIND THIS ISSUE Daniel Allen, Tim Bird, Carina Chela, David Cord, Simon Fry, Laura Iisalo, Silja Kudel, Atte Mäläskä, Laura Palotie, Sami Sallinen, and Wif Stenger, SUBMISSIONS bluewings@fokusmedia.fi BLUE WINGS ONLINE www.issuu.com/finnair_bluewings EDITORIAL OFFICES Hämeentie 153 C, 00560 Helsinki, Finland tel. +358 40 630 8253 firstname.lastname@fokusmedia.fi ADVERTISING SALES Jaana Lindvall-Harki tel. +358 40 582 1416 PUBLISHER Fokus Media Finland PRINTED BY Punamusta, Joensuu, Finland 2017 PAPER UPM Valor 61g Cover paper Stora Enso LumiArt 200g CIRCULATION 45,000 ISSN-0358-7703

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Lapland, the official home of Santa Claus, marks the holiday season with a range of Christmas-y events throughout the region. December.

A popular Christmas market takes place at Helsinki’s Senate Square with stalls selling arts, crafts, design, and sweet and savoury treats.

December 2–22.

DECEMBER 2017

JUHO KUVA

CUSTOMER FEEDBACK www.finnair.com/feedback or by mail: Customer Relations, SL/403, FI-01053 FINNAIR. www.finnair.com, www.finnair.fi, www.finnairgroup.com

is our dedicated staff comprised of people with excellent attitudes and skill-sets. One of those assets includes “snow-how,” the ability to operate in snowy arctic conditions, no matter what the weather.

Speaking of winter, three new exciting destinations join our roster this season: Puerto Plata in Dominican Republic, Puerto Vallarta in Mexico, and Havana in Cuba, with weekly flights to each special spot in the sun.

Wishing you a relaxing flight and a happy holiday season, Jaakko Schildt

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St Lucia Day, the festival of lights, brightens up Turku and Helsinki with the crowning of Saint Lucia and a candle-lit procession through the streets.

December 13.

JUSSI HELLSTÉN

FINNAIR HEAD OFFICE Tietotie 9 A, Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, 1053 Finnair, Finland, tel. +358 (0)9 818 81, Postal address: P. O. Box 15, 01053 Finnair, Finland

A

s 2017 draws to a close, it has been an exciting year for ­Finland with its centenary independence celebrations and for Finnair, as we enjoy our biggest growth spurt since starting operations in 1923.

On a busy day we serve more than 40,000 customers around the globe. Our promise is to make your travel experience as smooth as possible – we have teams looking after you and our operations every minute of every hour of every day of the year.

Finnair is one of the world’s most reliable airlines. Part of the secret to our success

JUSSI HELLSTÉN

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Arja Suominen arja.suominen@finnair.com

Happy holiday season

BLUE WINGS

3

BMW 6-sarjan Gran Turismo alkaen 89.928,84 €.

Autoveroton hinta 68.340,00 €, arvioitu autovero 20.988,62 €, toimituskulut 600 €. EU-yhd. kulutus 5,5 l/100 km, CO2-päästöt 144 g/km. (BMW 630d A xDrive)

ENSIMMÄINEN BMW 6-SARJAN GRAN TURISMO. BMW 6-sarjan Gran Turismo on täysin uudenlainen yhdistelmä ylellisten sisätilojen loistokkuutta, veistoksellista muotoilua ja pitkien matkojen ajonautintoa. Tervetuloa tutustumaan huippuunsa hiottuun uutuuteen oman BMW-jälleenmyyjäsi luokse.

Ruuhka moottoritiellä, kaaos lentokentällä, stressitaso koholla...

Rentoudu.

Käytössäsi on yli 1 000 loungea ympäri maailmaa sekä Fast Track -turvatarkastus Helsinki-Vantaalla.

Hae korttia nyt! americanexpress.fi/platinumcard

IN THIS ISSUE

32

DECEMBER 2017 32

LIFESTYLE SCHOOL OF SNOW

How young sports stars match education and training

42

LIFESTYLE BRUSSELS BREWS Belgium’s top 5 winter warmers

46

DESTINATION CHILLING IN CHONGQING Visit the hot springs capital of China Emmi Parkkisenniemi trains at Ruka during the weekends.

56

DESTINATION FINLAND 100

A recap of centenary events that are here to stay

42

62

DESTINATION ADVENTURES IN LAPLAND

Try snow kiting or ice floating in Finland’s wilderness

68

BUSINESS JAPAN STARTS UP

A new era dawns in the Japanese mindset

Festive flavours in Brussels.

TAKEOFF STARTERS

Retail therapy in Goa.................. 13

NEWS

Planet friendly shopping........... 14

NEWS

Fashion and food..........................16

WORLD

Global goings-on...........................18 China’s hot spring haven, Chongqing.

46

FINNISH FAVOURITES

Jyrki69’s Helsinki...............................20

EVENTS

Out and about in Finland.......... 22

DESTINATION

Multicultural Miami......................24

FLYING STORIES

Helsinki Airport’s snow-how... 26

DESTINATION

Wales of a visit...............................28

MAKERS OF

R-Collection redesign................. 30

DECEMBER 2017

BLUE WINGS

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68

IN THIS ISSUE

Japan’s start-up scene is full of promise.

56

Capturing the Finnish moods for the centennial.

62

Traditional red cabin Laulumaa in Ylläs.

REGULARS

Alexander Stubb.....................................44 Stefan Nilsson..........................................60 Finland in figures....................................98

FLY FINNAIR

Tips for takeoff........................................ 80 Inflight wellbeing.................................... 81 Entertainment.......................................... 82 Shopping..................................................... 83

Goa, p. 13 Helsinki, p. 20 Finland, p. 22, 56, 62 Miami, p. 24

Sustainability............................................. 84 Border crossings..................................... 85 Helsinki Airport ....................................... 86 Maps and destinations......................... 88 Fleet and My Finnair............................. 92 Finnair Plus................................................ 94 8 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

Check this month’s inflight shopping offers on page 83

Wales, p. 28 Brussels, p. 42 Chongqing, p. 46 Japan, p. 68

MINÄ OLEN DUSTIN.

Minna Londén Kääntäjä ja tuotevalikoimavastaava

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100

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200 000 IT-tuotetta, 1200 brändiä ja 100 000 yritysasiakasta. Me olemme yksi johtavista IT-tuotteiden sekä niihin liittyvien ratkaisuiden ja palveluiden jälleenmyyjistä Ruotsissa, Tanskassa, Norjassa ja nyt myös Suomessa. Verkkokaupassamme vierailee 2 000 000 kävijää kuukausittain ja Suomessa 100 IT-asiantuntijaa tarjoavat näkemystä, joka tukee liiketoimintaasi. Tervetuloa Dustinille.

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itting down to unwind in a beautiful home after a hard day’s work or a tiring business trip is one of life’s simple pleasures. Home is a soothing sanctuary where we return to connect with loved ones, shut out the mayhem, and release the tensions of modern life.

But for many of us in today’s deadlinedriven world, keeping our haven sparkling clean is just another stress test. We all want temples of KonMari simplicity like on the pages of lifestyle magazines, yet when swamped with work and family commitments, housecleaning is one of the first things we let slip down our “to do” lists.

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TAKEOFF

NEWS / EVENTS / DESTINATIONS / STORIES / FAVOURITES

MARKET DAY

I O G

a Go to s e . i r fl eek nai e a w n i F om ic tw nair.c n fi

Street shopping in Goa COMPILED BY SILJA KUDEL

Shopaholics visiting Goa should arrive with a half-empty suitcase, as it’s impossible to resist splurging on the eclectic bargains to be found at the numerous bustling street markets.

The liveliest must-visit destination is Anjuna M ­ arket every Wednesday, where both locals and visitors haggle for kitsch, spices, and hippie accessories. For live music and great deals on handicrafts, spend S ­ aturday evening at the Arpora Night Bazaar, or at Mackie’s Night Bazaar, which offers ecofriendly items and yummy snacks at its cavalcade of food stalls. Calangute Market Square is a popular trinket-laden haunt near the tourist drag, while the sprawling Mapusa Market is a rainbow of colours and flavours attracting vendors from all over the state.

DECEMBER 2017

BLUE WINGS

13

TAKEOFF NEWS

OFF-PEAK LOUNGING Use your Finnair Plus points to ­redeem a ­Finnair Lounge voucher at Helsinki Airport. Lounge access is for flights departing during off-peak hours. finnairshop.com

COMPILED BY SILJA KUDEL RETUNA

BJÓRBÖÐIN

ICELAND

CLIMATE-SMART

Soaking in suds

World’s first eco-mall SWEDEN’S Eskilstuna takes the guilt out of shopping with a unique mall offering planet-friendly retail therapy.

ReTuna Recycling Gallery is the world’s first mall that sells only repaired or upcycled products. Customers can drop by and donate furniture, clothing, and items they no longer need, then do a lap around the mall to hunt for upcycled treasures, followed by a delicious organic lunch at the restaurant – all in one stop.

Turning waste into profit has proved to ANDREW TAYLOR

be a successful business concept, but the mall’s primary raison d’être is ethical, affirms mall manager Anna Bergström.

“I could give you a thousand reasons why we’re doing this, but it’s really very simple. We want to save the planet, and this is one great way of doing it.

When you leave here, you should feel that you did something good for the environment.”

“BEER is the best therapy” is the motto of Iceland’s new Bjórböðin Beer Spa, where guests unwind in giant wooden tubs filled with beer, water, hops, and yeast. The live yeast is believed to have a powerful cleansing effect on the body and skin. The bathwater is undrinkable, but there’s a tap beside each tub for internal use. bjorbodin.com/english

retuna.se/sidor/in-english

LUMI SCENTSATIONS

Finland in a bottle FASHION BRAND Lumi plunges into a world of sensual indulgence with a new scent and skin care line celebrating Nordic freshness. The moisturiser, body oil, soap, and candles are rich in active extracts such as birch, nettle, oat, cloudberry, lichen, moss, and rowanberry – all attractively packaged in tinted glass and birch-bark. “What’s the sense in

14 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

packing organic ingredients in PET bottles? Our packaging reflects our story, offering a gorgeous slice of Finland,” says Lumi co-founder Bruno Beaugrand.

Lumi products are available in the Finnair Shop. lumiaccessories.com

C F A PROJECTS

Let your holidays be like a diamond.

Sparkling, rare and precious.

FINE JEWELLERY BY TINA TILLANDER HANDMADE BY THE BEST FINNISH GOLDSMITHS SOLD EXCLUSIVELY AT KLUUVIKATU 1, HELSINKI, TEL +358 9 686 0980, TILLANDER.COM

TAKEOFF NEWS

WORLD OF BENEFITS Make the most of your Finnair Plus points. You can use your points for a variety of services from Finnair ­and partners. Read more about the program on pages 94–96.

COMPILED BY SILJA KUDEL

NICOLAS MATHÉUS KRISTA KELTANEN

SNUG ON THE ROAD

Throws of comfort

FASHION TRIBUTE

All about Yves

THE LEGACY of fashion legend Yves Saint Laurent – pioneer of the female tuxedo – shines on in two museums newly opened in Paris and Marrakesh.

The first is housed in Saint Laurent’s former Paris mansion, now converted into an haute couture exhibition space offering a sneak peek into the mysterious designer’s secret world, with the master’s studio preserved exactly as he left it in 2002. A second and larger museum was recently inaugurated in Marrakesh, MARKO RANTANEN

where Saint Laurent sketched many of his collections.

“It feels perfectly natural, 50 years later, to build a museum dedicated to his oeuvre, which was so inspired by this country,” states the museum’s founder, Saint Laurent’s late lover and business partner Pierre Bergé, who passed away just a month before the opening. museeyslparis.com/en museeyslmarrakech.com/en

BONDENLIVING travel blankets take the edge off cabin chill and bring the cosiness of home wherever you go. Warm in winter and cool in summer, one side is soft Finnish lambswool and the other is crisp natural linen. Best of all, the blanket doubles as a stylish wearable accessory. The travel blanket retails at €269. bonden.fi

FRESH EATS

Ora of goodness HELSINKI’S HOTTEST dining destination is Ora, an intimate eatery newly opened by Michelin chef Sasu Laukkonen. Small in size but big on flavour, the raved-about eatery serves a six-course menu made from 100 per cent local ingredients and foraged goodies, with a spotlight on fresh seasonal flavours.

16 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

“All our produce is pure and simple to the core. For the 100th year of our independence, I think our country deserves at least one restaurant that uses only Finnish produce proudly,” says Laukkonen. The set menu costs €85 per head. orarestaurant.fi

Yksi lataus – kuukauden hymy Jordan Clean Fresh -sähköhammasharja tarjoaa tähän uudenlaisen mahdollisuuden – matkakumppanin, jonka akku kestää jopa kuukauden* yhdellä latauksella. Ja mikä parasta, sisäisen litium-akun ansiosta harjausteho ei vähene ajan kuluessa, vaan tarkat ja hellävaraiset SoftClean™-harjakset puhdistavat täysin kierroksin matkan loppuun asti.

USB-laturilla lataat harjan kätevästi kannettavasta tietokoneestasi tai muusta kannettavasta virtalähteestä. Tutustu kauniin hymysi takaavaan matkakumppaniin osoitteessa wilfa.fi/jordan. *120 minuuttia harjaamista

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TAKEOFF WORLD

BOOK YOUR DREAM HOLIDAY Finnair Holidays is an easy way to find flights, hotels, and unique e ­ xperiences all in one place. See the intriguing ­destinations at holidays.finnair.com

COMPILED BY SILJA KUDEL CHRISTKINDLIMARKT.CH

CALENDAR

DECEMBER EVENTS

ZURICH

ENSIO ILMONEN

Christkindlimarkt NOV 23 – DEC 24

Nothing beats the magic of Europe’s Christmas markets, but standing outdoors in sub-zero temperatures isn’t everyone’s cup of mulled wine. Coldsensitive revellers head for Zurich, where the main train station is converted into one of Europe’s largest and most magical indoor winter markets, complete with a musical carousel and 7,000 Swarovski crystals sparkling on a 15-metre Christmas tree.

UNTIL DEC 10

MOSCOW. Alvar Aalto, Eero Aarnio, and Tapio Wirkkala are among the legends highlighted in 33 Beginnings – 100 Years of Finnish Design, a centenary exhibition at Moscow’s Multimedia Art Museum telling the story of how Finnish society was shaped by design.

christkindlimarkt.ch

ANDY KAZIE

UNTIL MARCH 4 NEW YORK. Nothing says “holiday season in NYC” quite like the Bryant Park Winter Village, which offers admissionfree skating on a 17,000-square-foot rink and more than 150 shopping kiosks and food vendors.

O2ZONE GEORGE CLERK

DEC 30 – JAN 1 EDINBURGH. Nobody knows exactly why it’s called Hogmanay, but everyone knows that Scotland’s New Year’s celebration is a whiskey-laced blast of wild entertainment, festivals, ancient rituals, and bonfires to drive away evil spirits.

18 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

SINGAPORE

ZoukOut DEC 8–9

Asia’s longest running and only dusk-to-dawn dance music festival transforms Sentosa’s Siloso Beach into a giant outdoor nightclub. A top line-up of DJs keeps a sweaty, energetic crowd dancing until dawn, drinks in hand, toes in the sand, many stripped down to bikinis and board shorts. zoukout.com/2017

FALL IN LOVE WITH HELSINKI 2017 Aleksanterinkatu 16 | Mon–Fri 11–19 Sat-Sun 11–17 | Free entry | HELSINKICITYMUSEUM.FI

MY FINNISH FAVOURITES

100 YEARS Blue Wings salutes Finland’s centenary by spotlighting inspiring Finns throughout the year. suomifinland100.fi

TEXT BY CARINA CHELA PHOTO BY SAMI SALLINEN

Jyrki Linnankivi, better known as Jyrki69, is the lead singer of Finnish rock band The 69 Eyes. He is also an author and comic book artist.

Linnankivi has been involved in programmes promoting children’s rights and is the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador of Finland.

METAL SAVVY ROCKER

Helsinki goth’n’roll Just one look at a world map of rock bands reveals that the further north you go, the more heavy metal rock prevails.

Nordic countries lead in the rankings, but Finland is undoubtedly number one, with estimated 53 heavy metal bands per 100,000 people.

But it’s much more than loving the music and the headbanging. “Finns have always taken rock very seriously,” explains Jyrki Linnankivi, the lead singer of renowned Finnish rock band The 69 Eyes. “In other

countries, metal is part of the underground scene but in Finland it’s mainstream.”

The 69 Eyes is Finland’s longestrunning band with its original lineup. The band actually describes their sound as goth’n’roll. Linnankivi writes most of the lyrics himself and in English.

Linnankivi considers Helsinki to be the world capital of rock and the perfect place for an urban rock holiday. “Helsinki has the best rock and metal festivals and music bars. We are also very melancholic as a

culture. We have long periods of darkness and we also have the sea. These are the right inspirational elements for metal.”

Linnankivi’s love for Helsinki comes from the city’s architecture – its calm and quiet atmosphere; its nature and coastline.

“I need a horizon to dream. Helsinki gives me that. This city has its own magic.”

This year Linnankivi published his first solo album, Helsinki Vampire.

But what is a Helsinki vampire? “Well, come to Helsinki to find out,” he smirks.

JYRKI69’S HELSINKI HANGOUTS AKI WALLI

VISIT FINLAND

TAVASTIA

TAVASTIA CLUB

HELSINKI CATHEDRAL

GARAGELAND

One of the oldest rock clubs in Europe. Leading international and domestic bands have played at this quintessential rock venue.

This iconic white cathedral is the visitor’s stairway to Helsinki. The steps outside provide an impressive view point over the city and harbour.

With an Elvis wedding chapel and a Tiki Bar, this picturesque shop is where many rock stars get their clothes and shoes tailor made.

20 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

SPECIAL EDITION 2017 HÄSTENS TRIBUTE

Hästens Tribute, the 165th-anniversary bed with special upholstery, 180 x 200 cm, €7,490.

Also available in other sizes.

The headboard pictured is sold separately.

HÄSTENS STORE HELSINKI, Mannerheimintie 8, tel. +358 20 780 1370, hastens.com

TAKEOFF EVENTS

100 YEARS Blue Wings salutes Finland’s centenary by highlighting ­interesting events throughout the year. suomifinland100.fi

COMPILED BY LAURA IISALO RAMI SAARIKORPI

CALENDAR TERO MARIN

DEC 8–10 The Porvoo Art Factory Christmas market features tables filled with handmade decorations, jams, Christmas loaves, handicrafts, jewellery, clothing, and toys made by local artisans.

LIGHT ART

porvoontaidetehtaanjoulumarkkinat.net ATACAN ERGIN

UNTIL DEC 28 Kids are invited to play, sing, and make handicrafts with elves at the Doghill Fairytale Farm in Tampere. Food and drinks are available and the carnival culminates in a fire show.

YRJÖ TUUNANEN/ATENEUM

ateneum.fi Events subject to change.

22 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

UNTIL DEC 6

Large-scale light installations illuminate familiar landmarks across the country as part of the Luminous Finland 100 show. The grand finale is in December, with individual light installations magically transforming Olavinlinna Castle in Savonlinna, Näsinneula Observation Tower in Tampere, Kuusisaari Isle in Oulu, Saana Fell in Kilpisjärvi, and Turku Castle in Turku. luminousfinland100.fi

sarkanniemi.fi

UNTIL FEB 25, 2018 More than 300 portraits, landscapes, and artwork by the artist brothers Magnus, Wilhelm, and Ferdinand von Wright highlight their historical significance in Finnish art, culture, and science.

Finland illuminated

DORIT SALUTSKIJ

URBAN CULTURE

Christmas swimming

THROUGHOUT DEC

Allas Sea Pool near Helsinki’s Market Square is open throughout December for the first time.

The venue is lit with a Christmas theme and the festive programme consists of We Love Helsinki disco nights, Christmas tales for kids, and delicious festive foods. allasseapool.fi

www.arctictreehousehotel.com info@arctictreehousehotel.com ď‚• +358 50 517 6909

Local food with love At the Arctic TreeHouse Hotel

TAKEOFF DESTINATION

VAMOS A MIAMI Get a taste of the multicultural Little Havana neighbourhood.

Finnair flies to Miami three times a week.

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY DANIEL ALLEN

Big fun in Little Havana Miami’s Cuban district is a centre of Hispanic culture.

Question: Where can you enjoy the finest Cubano sandwiches, moros y cristianos (black beans and rice), and café cubanos, all without setting foot on Cuban soil? Answer: Around 380 kilometres north of Havana, across the Straits of Florida, in Miami.

Today there’s no better place to say hola to a slice of authentic Cuban culture than Miami’s Little Havana neighbourhood (aka La Pequeña Habana).

“This is a booming enclave,” says Paul George, a professor of history and historian at HistoryMiami, a cultural institution 24 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

Little Havana’s big hitters Try the mantecado at the Azucar Ice Cream Company. azucaricecream.com Bite into a Cubano sandwich at the El Cristo Restaurant elcristorestaurant.com See the story of Cuba at the Cubaocho Museum & ­Performing Art Center cubaocho.com Eat your way through Little Havana with Miami Culinary Tours miamiculinarytours.com

working to preserve Miami’s cultural heritage. “Over the last 20 years the liveliness and diversity of attractions here have really gone up a notch. Tourist numbers have multiplied tenfold.”

Most attractions in Little Havana are centred around the main street of Calle Ocho (Eighth Street). Hispanic culture pervades everything here – from colourful murals and a Cuban sidewalk of fame through to vintage cars and domino-playing octogenarians.

These vignettes of daily life play out against a backdrop of salsa, art, authentic cuisine, and the ever-present smell of Cuban coffee.

Maximo Gomez Park, also known as Domino Park, is a popular meeting spot for older Cubans.

historymiami.org

Spend a Fun Day with the Elves in Santa’s Home Cavern!

Tarvantie 1, 96930 Rovaniemi, Arctic Circle  +358 600 301 203

(1,5€ + local call charge)

SANTAPARK IS PART OF

| info@santapark.com

WWW.SANTAPARK.COM

DECEMBER 2017

BLUE WINGS

25

FLYING STORIES

FINNAIR INSIGHTS The story below was published in ­Finnair’s jubilee publication celebrating Finland’s 100-year anniversary. You can pre-order a copy from finnairshop. com before your next Finnair flight.

TEXT BY DAVID J. CORD PHOTO BY FINAVIA

The snowy state of mind For many airports, the smallest snowfall can mean total chaos. But for Helsinki Airport, it’s business as usual. Here, the “snow men”, as the snow clearing specialists are called, have to deal with snow and ice about five months each year. It’s a major challenge, but the airport has never been closed due to snow since 2003.

The key is preparation. When the rest of Helsinki is still eating ice cream in the summer, the snow men are busy training and getting their 250 units of equipment ready.

In this series Blue Wings looks into the fascinating world of flying through inspiring people, discoveries, and inventions.

26 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

The experienced group has 60 fulltime members with another 65 joining in the winter, with many of the winter team members returning year after year.

“Everyone must know their role,” explains Finavia’s Heini Noronen-Juhola, Vice President of Helsinki Airport. “They go over their tactics and train together with the air traffic controllers.

Close cooperation is needed for things to go smoothly.”

According to Timo Rissanen, Finnair’s head of Ground

Experience at Helsinki airport, there’s another reason why Finns excel at snow-how.

“They grow up with snow,” he says. “Kids learn the behaviour of different types of snow and how to deal with each at an early age. They know snow is nothing to be afraid of, but something that needs to be handled appropriately – a mindset that applies to everyone.”

To watch the “When Snow Hits the Fan” video, go to finavia.fi.

www.kia.fi @kiamotorsfinland

Täysin uusi Kia Stonic

Niille jotka eivät saa elämästä tarpeekseen.

Mallisto alk. 17.990 € Niille jotka haluavat erottua.

Elämä on täynnä mahdollisuuksia. Sitä varten on Kia Stonic, valmiina rikkomaan rutiineja ja viemään sinut kohti seuraavaa päämäärää. Valitse väripari, joka viimeistelee tyylisi.

Kompakti crossover erottuu joukosta, ja sen ratissa olet aina tapahtumien keskipisteessä.

Ja tietenkin se on Kia: kaikilla mausteilla ja seitsemän vuoden takuulla.

Käyttöetu alk. 305 €/kk, vapaa autoetu alk. 455 €/kk

Kia Stonic -mallisto alk. autoveroton hinta 14.944,93 € + arvioitu autovero 3.045,07 € + tk 600 € = kokonaishinta 18.590 €. Vapaa autoetu alk. 455 €/kk, käyttöetu alk. 305 €/kk. EU-yhd. kulutus 4,2–5,2 l/100 km, CO2-päästöt 109–118 g/km. Kia-huolenpitosopimus alk. 28 €/kk (sopimusaika 36 kk, 10 tkm/vuosi). Kia-takuu 7 vuotta tai 150 000 km, kolme ensimmäistä vuotta ilman kilometrirajaa. Kia 24h tiepalvelu vuodeksi veloituksetta. Kuvan auto erikoisvarustein.

TAKEOFF DESTINATION

MAKE A BRIT STOP Finnair flies to London five times a day and to Manchester twice a day. It’s a short hop from either city to the north or south of Wales.

TEXT AND PHOTO BY DANIEL ALLEN

The beautiful cathedral of St. David’s is a place steeped in Welsh legend.

Explore the epic From the medieval Welsh folk tales of The Mabinogion to the epic story of King Arthur, myth and legend have always played a big part in the Welsh attraction. In fact, history and mythology are so closely entwined that just about every lake, rock, and hill comes with its own legend. This year has been declared the Year of Legends, with 17 emblematic locations chosen to represent the country. The curated selection takes visitors across some of the most dramatic scenery in the British Isles, including the snow-clad peaks of Snowdonia, the serene Gower Peninsula, and the ruggedly beautiful Pembrokeshire coast.

While some locations can be visited by public transport, the Year of Legends might just be the best excuse for a Welsh road trip. visitwales.com/legends

28 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

Heureka’s exhibition looks to the future Take a seat in Simone’s hairdressing salon, help Laura to repair a hacked food machine, and work with Auvo to design the world’s tallest wooden skyscraper! Heureka’s new exhibition Seven Siblings from the Future focuses on Jukola, an urban utopia.

What will Finland look like in 50 years’ time? Heureka’s new exhibition peeks, among other things, into the professions of the future, a food machine making synthetic food and a hyperloop train which speeds through Jukola at 1000 kilometres per hour.

In Jukola, the city of the future, a farming robot grows food and an artificial intelligence follows the visitors’ moves.

“Seven Siblings from the Future represents a new kind of exhibition narrative.”

The themes of the exhibition, such as wellbeing, mobility, food and housing, are examined through the seven siblings of the future.

Visitors help the siblings to make choices in their everyday lives.

“We want the visitors to experience the themes of the exhibition firsthand. Each of the siblings represents different values and choices, and they also see our future in seven different ways”, says Heureka’s Experience Director Mikko Myllykoski.

The narrator of the exhibition is artificial intelligence Jennifer, who follows the visitors through Jukola. In this interactive exhibition, the visitors’ choices are saved into their wristbands, and at the end of the exhibition tour, each visitor receives a personal value profile. Visitors also find out which of the siblings is closest to their own values.

The exhibition ends with Heureka’s robot Pepper and Jennifer giving an analysis of the future of Finland.

“Seven Siblings from the Future represents a new kind of exhibition narrative. The visitor plays the lead and receives feedback about the choices he or she has made, as well as those of the other visitors”, Myllykoski explains.

The exhibition aims to get people to reflect on the future, the different future scenarios and the impact each of us can have on the future through our own choices.

Seven Siblings from the Future is a joint project between Heureka, the Finnish Science Centre and the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra. The exhibition is part of the official programme in honour of Finland’s 100 years of independence and of Sitra’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

The exhibition is on display at Heureka 17.11.2017-13.1.2019.

heureka.fi

MAKERS OF FINLAND TEXT AND PHOTO BY LAURA IISALO

R for reinvention The past five years have been frantic for designer Lilli Norio. With her partner Olli Saastamoinen, she has completely overhauled R-Collection, a Finnish heritage brand founded by Pekka and Marjo Saastamoinen – Olli’s parents – nearly 40 years ago. Originally known for colourful anoraks, casual sweaters, and printed t-shirts, it used to be the musthave label for every teenager until it slowly lost its edge. “The world isn’t the same it was in 1978 when there was no internet, no social media, and no high street labels to compete with. Apart from redoing the actual design work, it was vital to rethink the website, the catalogues, and the whole business approach to keep up with the times,” Norio reveals.

Large investments and five years of hard work have paid off, with the company having made a profit last year for the first time in four years. With approximately 20 new retailers already s­ elling the brand, the next step is to expand internationally while maintaining a local identity. Operating from Kajaani, a small town in the centre of Finland, each piece is designed and cut there and then sent to Estonia, where the garments are sewn together. Contemporary yet classic design fused with the original brand values seems to be the formula Norio believes will conquer the world. “We’ve been through difficult times but it’s great to see that we’ve made the right choices and our efforts are paying off. Now we just need to keep pushing.” r-collection.fi

R-Collection launched Anorak, their flagship store and restaurant in Kajaani, with a focus on local ingredients and F ­ innish design.

30 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

HELLO, GOOD BUYS Discover Finnish and Nordic design products in the Finnair Shop.­When you pre-order, your purchase will be waiting for you on your next flight. finnairshop.com

In this series we meet the bright young talents of Nordic design.

OMA SÄNKY. PARAS SÄNKY. MOOTTORISÄNKY NYT TAVALLISEN SÄNGYN HINNALLA!

180 x 200 cm, 3.190 €

Hyvä uni on yksi elämän tärkeimmistä asioista. Jensen on parantanut ihmisten nukkumista ja unenlaatua jo vuodesta 1947.

Diplomat Dream on Jensenin moottorisänkyjen klassinen malli, joka sisältää kaikki olennaisimmat toiminnot. Huolellisesti valittujen materiaalien lisäksi tässä sängyssä on Jensen® Original -vyöhykejärjestelmä, jossa on pehmeä hartiavyöhyke ja sisäänrakennettu ristiseläntuki. Headrest-toiminto mahdollistaa sen, että niskasi ja pääsi ovat aina hyvässä asennossa kun istut sängyssä. Mukana myös muistitoiminto oman suosikkiasennon tallennukseen. Nuku aina parasta unta omassa sängyssäsi.

ESPOO | HELSINKI | HÄMEENLINNA | JYVÄSKYLÄ | KOUVOLA | KUOPIO | LAHTI | LAPPEENRANTA MIKKELI | OULU | PORI | PORVOO | RAISIO | ROVANIEMI | SEINÄJOKI | TALLINNA | TAMPERE | VAASA | VANTAA

32 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

SHOOTING FOR THE SKY Anything worth achieving isn’t easy – as student-athletes learn the hard way. Three rising stars of ice and snow share the joys and trials of teenhood, school, and elite sports.

TEXT BY SILJA KUDEL PHOTOS BY ATTE MÄLÄSKÄ, JANI LAUKKANEN AND FINNAIR

Freestyle skier Jon Sallinen enjoying his first taste of Hokkaido’s deep, fluffy powder snow.

DECEMBER 2017

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“Even when I broke my wrist, I was out boarding every day with a cast on my arm,” says Emmi Parkkisenniemi.

E

mmi Parkkisenniemi arrives at ­Helsinki Airport wheeling a bag the size of a small broom closet. It contains her snowboard and two weeks’ worth of dirty laundry. She has flown in from Austria, where the F ­ innish national snowboarding team have been training at the Hintertux alpine glacier.

A rookie snowboard champion, Parkkisenniemi, 18, competes in the national B team, with hopes of soon qualifying for the A team. With the competition season kicking off, the pressure is mounting, as is the stress of school.

Parkkisenniemi is in her third year at ­Sotkamo Sports High School in Kainuu, mid-eastern ­Finland, with plans to graduate next year. Most F ­ innish students complete senior high in three years, but athletes are granted an extra year.

The pace of each day is unrelenting. “Luckily our teachers take a relaxed attitude. If I’m travelling, they give me homework in advance, but there’s always a mountain of schoolwork waiting when I return,” she sighs.

THE RIGHT STUFF Parkkisenniemi’s typical day begins with porridge at 7:00 am, two hours at the gym, a quick shower, and then school. After four hours in class, she heads for the slopes of Vuokatti, where she trains until nightfall. Returning home, she cooks a protein-rich dinner,

34 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

finishes up schoolwork, and relaxes her tense muscles with active stretching. It’s usually bed by ten.

With such a gruelling schedule, where does the fun fit in? “Snowboarding is fun! When I’m on my board, I’m free,” she says.

On weekends, Parkkisenniemi travels to Ruka, a nearby resort in Kuusamo, where she spends up to eight hours chilling with friends like any normal teen – except in her case “chilling” is also hard-core training.

When asked how she juggles two full-time jobs – school and sports – Parkkisenniemi replies with a bemused smile: “I manage… somehow.”

Calm and self-possessed, she radiates the aura of someone who is comfortable in her own skin. “I think it partly stems from the nature of snowboarding. Even though it’s a solo sport, we enjoy sparring as friends, not as adversaries.”

But mental toughness is a must, she adds. “You need courage to face danger and the ability to perform under pressure. And patience helps.”

“You need courage to face danger and the ability to perform under pressure.

And patience helps.”

EMMI PARKKISENNIEMI • Born 1999 in Kuusamo • Snowboarder in the Finnish national B team • Winner 2017 Europa Cup Corvatsch big air, winner 2017 Europa Cup Vars slopestyle, winner 2016 World Rookie Tour Oslo slopestyle • Enjoys skateboarding and music • Instagram @emmisohvi

Emmi Parkkisenniemi spends her weekends training at Ruka: “It has great slopes for all types of skiers.”

DECEMBER 2017

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Freestyle skiing in the champagne powder of Japan’s Ashahidake was a bucket-list experience for Jon Sallinen.

JON SALLINEN • Born 2000 in Vantaa • Freestyle skier and rookie champion in moguls, half-pipe and slopestyle • Paromcamps team member and Ruka Alpine School trainee • Enjoys soccer, floorball and skateboarding • Instagram @jonsallinen

36 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

Her future plan is to finish school, compete in the A Team, and continue learning new jumps. “Snowboarders keep getting younger and younger, and most competitors are under 30, but I plan to continue for as long as the love is there.”

MEET IN HELSINKI

BALANCE ACT Love of the sport is also deeply ingrained in Jon ­Sallinen, 17, one of the promising young talents carving out a career in freestyle skiing at the Ruka Alpine School, a special high school for alpine and freestyle skiers. Currently in his second year, he admits to “occasionally struggling” with work-life balance issues.

Off-season he attends school in Vantaa in the ­Helsinki region, but in December he moves north to Ruka in Finnish Lapland, where snow cover is guaranteed through winter. He paces his studies by taking extra courses in autumn and lightening his academic load during the spring season.

On a gloomy November afternoon, he is found popping a 180 frontside ollie and sharing a joke with friends at an indoor activity park in Vantaa. Nothing about his casual manner suggests that this is anything more than “having fun,” but for Sallinen, skateboarding is part of his off-season training.

“Fun” seems far from his normal weekday schedule at the Ruka Alpine School, however, which begins with porridge and coffee at 6:30 am, followed by a jog or gym time, then school at 9:00 am. After six hours of lectures, he hits the slopes until long after nightfall.

“Skiing, school, homework, and workouts – that’s all I can fit into a regular weekday,” he notes wryly.

JUMPING BIG On Friday nights, Ruka’s slopes are open until 11:00 pm. Despite the tiring day behind him, Sallinen is among the last ones there at closing time.

H ILTON H ELSIN KI STRAN D

Located in the city center, this waterfront Nordic-style hotel is the perfect base to explore Helsinki, whether you’re travelling for business or for leisure.

H ILTON H ELSIN KI KA LA STAJATO R PPA This distinguished conference and event hotel by the sea is a resort in the city. It offers spacious rooms with stunning views only short drive from the city center.

H ILTON H ELSIN KI A IR PO RT

The only full-service hotel at Helsinki Airport is located just a few minutes’ walk from the terminals.

It’s the ideal place for stopovers, meetings at the airport or a good night’s sleep before an early flight.

Skateboarding is a ­­common form of summer training for freestyle skiers.

RESERVATIONS www.hilton.com DECEMBER 2017

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37

LINNEA CEDER • Born 2002 in Tuusula • Youngest skater to qualify for the women’s national figure skating team, 2016 • Bronze medal in the 2016–2017 Junior Ladies Finnish championships and gold in the 2017 Nordic Junior Ladies • Attended German comprehensive school, fluent in German, enjoys golf • Instagram @cederlinnea

Ever-positive junior champion Linnea Ceder

38 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

“I put in extra hours because I want to continue improving – and because I love it! It’s great ­hanging out with friends. I’m even here on Sundays, when we’re supposed to be resting,” he confesses.

“To be a good freestyle skier, you need to be focused, brave, and motivated. The best thing about freestyle is that you can really jump big. There’s nothing more exhilarating than doing a great trick and landing perfectly,” he says.

“And it’s a very social sport. Even the competitions are fun. We have loud music blaring and the atmosphere is chillaxed,” he says.

During the winter season, Sallinen and his classmates travel roughly twice a month to attend camps and competitions. “Before competitions, I try to prepare mentally by practising jumps in my mind, but you never know what conditions to expect. You have to wing it on the day.”

Sallinen plans to graduate from high school in two years and hopefully qualify for the Finnish national A team. “After that, I’ll take a year off to focus on what I love most: skiing, competing, and doing bigger, better jumps.”

BLADES OF GLORY Another youngster gifted with a special talent for big, beautiful jumps is Linnea Ceder, 15, but her chosen surface is ice instead of snow.

Bleary-eyed and shuddering from the cold, she arrives at Espoo’s Warrior Arena at 7:00 am after a long

“Falling in love with a sport doesn’t mean loving the long hours of training.” commute from Kerava, about 30 kilometres away, toting ice-skates and tugging at the collar of her goosedown jacket. It’s pitch-black outside.

Moments later she is gliding on the ice, performing gravity-defying triple salchows, loops, and axels with effortless grace and a happy smile on her face, making it all look way too easy.

But the “easy” part is deceptive. Ceder has fierce motivation and nerves and muscles of steel. Ever since she began skating at the age of four, training has always come first.

Strong yet light, Ceder is the youngest-ever skater selected for the Finnish national figure-skating team.

She takes part in 8–10 competitions a year, plus training camps in Sweden and Oberstdorf, Germany.

A perfectionist by nature – with ambitions to study medicine – Ceder concedes that combining school and skating is a difficult equation.

“Now that I’m in ninth grade, it’s getting harder. I fall behind during camps, because the training is very intense, and there’s little time left for schoolwork. The books are always waiting when I return.”

DECEMBER 2017

BLUE WINGS

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In between school, workouts, and competitions, Linnea Ceder has little time for a “normal” teen social life.

ICE QUEEN Falling in love with a sport doesn’t mean loving the long hours of training – even for someone of C ­ eder’s sunny disposition. Her rigorous daily schedule consists of morning and afternoon ice time, weights, dance training, and endurance workouts.

She returns home after 7:00 pm to study, followed by a solo dinner at nine. Family time tends be in short supply during the school week.

“There are days when I feel I’ve given everything I’ve got, but I just try to stay positive and remember how much I love skating – that’s what keeps me going.”

Although naturally upbeat, Ceder receives support from mental coach Terhi Lehtoviita, who helps her cultivate a self-confident attitude. “If I do a perfect jump, I store it in my memory and retrieve it when I start to doubt myself. It’s like going to my happy place.”

The greatest payback for the sweat and tears is succeeding in competitions, says Ceder. “But it’s not the medal around my neck that counts. I’m very, very self-critical. I’m only happy if I’m personally satisfied with my performance.”

Ceder’s next step is to graduate from high school and apply to study medicine. “I hope to be the world’s first figure-skating woman doctor – let’s see! But before then, my biggest dream is to skate in the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022.” l

40 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

Ceder is praised for her special ability to jump high and rotate quickly.

Silja Kudel is a Finnish-based Sydney writer who is waiting for the opening of north Helsinki’s ski trails.

hublot.com

Classic Fusion Blue Titanium.

Titanium case with a blue sunray dial. Automatic movement. Blue alligator strap stitched on rubber.

TOP5 Winter seasonals

U R B

to ies r fl r fou nai Fin ssels ay.

Bru es a d m tim air.co n n fi

1

MASS APPEAL Twice voted Brussels’ best café

by Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, Het Goudblommeke in Papier (translated as Gold Flower in Paper) is housed in a historic building adorned throughout with items of interest. Magritte showed his paintings upstairs and Tintin creator Hergé was a regular. Thankfully, the décor is unchanged come December, when Winter Mess, brewed across town at Brasserie de la Senne, celebrates the season, the name referencing revelry and Midnight Mass. goudblommekeinpapier.be

42 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

While Brussels is renowned for its beers year-round, the darker months bring with them stronger brews that keep out the cold. Here are five pubs where guests can imbibe festive flavours.

TEXT BY SIMON FRY PHOTOS BY NATALIE HILL

2

ALE WITH ALAIN Restobieres combines owner and chef Alain Fayt’s love for beer and cooking. Rated by the New York Times and the Good Beer Guide Belgium, many of his recipes incorporate a brew.

Enthusiastic and entertaining, Alain has Brasserie Dupont’s Bons Voeux (Good Wishes) ready for Christmas and New Year toasts. His own personal variety, For Mi diable, is only available here. “To beer or not to beer?” asks Fayt, hypothetically.

There is no question… restobieres.eu

3

HIP HOPS The Brussels Beer Project launched four years ago by Olivier de Brauwere (pictured) and Sébastien Morvan to bring the craft beer scene to the Belgian capital. All ales are brewed onsite, with seating areas opening onto a production brewery. December sees Tante Tatin arrive, inspired by tarte tatin, with caramel malts, apple, and a hint of cinnamon. It joins a 15-strong list, with new varieties co-created with c ­ ustomers and other breweries. Cool and happening, one earlier teaming was with British rock band Editors. beerproject.be

4

DELIRIOUSLY HOPPY Delirium Café’s beer cellar, part of Delirium Village, is a soulful celebration of a world of brewing.

Numerous Christmas brews are always available (the beer list here is the planet’s longest, according to Guinness,) including Kerkom Brewery’s 8.3% Winterkoninkske (Winter King.) Poured in two stages, seven different malts combine to produce a mellow sweetness warming imperceptibly before the creamy sediment brings a dessert-like finish. For €5, aficionados can take away a 196-page menu. deliriumcafe.be

5

LABOUR OF LOVE A working brewery’s bustle provides a lively backdrop to sample Brasserie de la Senne’s brews in its functional bar area.

The brewery began via a meeting in 2002, but it was not until 2010 when brewers Yvan de Baets and Bernard Leboucq brewed their first batch in the city. Many Belgian Christmas beers are rebranded, creating longer marketing windows; the Winter Mess served here was formerly X-Mas Zinnebir. brasseriedelasenne.be

DECEMBER 2017

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EUROPEAN VOICES

BY ALEXANDER STUBB

Thank you and goodbye!

A

ll good things come to wife, who should get the credit for many an end at some stage. of the ideas I have written about over the That is how I felt when years.

Finnair contacted me As the years went on I moved on to in October and told me more philosophical subjects, such as the that they are renewing art of being kind, body and mind, artificial the concept of Blue Wings. Time to get a intelligence, big data, and even the future new roster of columnists. of homo sapiens. Many of the columns A curious and open mind is often were based on books that I read over the happy. For me, reading and writing equals years. happiness. It has been a privilege to write The good thing about writing a column this column for 12 years. It all started in is that your brain is on constant look-out 2005. Since then I have written over 120 for topics. That means that you must keep stories in this space. Two books have on learning and reading. been published based on But the best thing has the texts, and I hope to been the feedback from A CURIOUS publish a third one next you, the readers. Not a year. week goes by without AND OPEN MIND The basic aim of someone commenting IS OFTEN HAPPY. the column has been on the column, whether to deal with topics in person or via email or that are of interest to international social media. The column has been widely readers visiting Finland and Finnish quoted and used as teaching material in readers interested in international schools around Finland, as well as for subjects. The great thing is that lectures and speeches on many occasions.

I have been able to write about There has even been a study written on the whatever I want, things close to my columns. heart.

My last column in this magazine makes Throughout the years of writing I me both happy and sad. Happy, because have held various professional posts, I firmly believe (and preach) that we all which have inevitably influenced the need to do new things, renew ourselves. topics. As a member of the European Sad because I have truly loved writing for Parliament I wrote about things Blue Wings. The process of writing has European. Sometimes I would make fun of been a source of renewal in and of itself.

European stereotypes; in other columns I So, to all of my readers, reviewers, and would tell French presidents and Italian commentators over the years, I say thank prime ministers about Finnish cuisine. you and goodbye. This has been a wonderful When I became a government journey. Let’s keep on reading and writing. minister I started writing about how to And please do stay in touch. l brand Finland, Finnish architecture, and travelling in Finland.

I also dealt with issues relating to foreign policy. One of my all-time Alexander Stubb is a former Prime favourites was a column in which I Minister of Finland. He has been a columnist talked about the similarities of child for Blue Wings since 2005. You can reach him minding and foreign policy. And at alexander@stubb.eu or via his twitter naturally the idea came from my account @alexstubb.

44 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

HP suosittelee Windows 10 Pro käyttöjärjestelmää.

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HP EliteBook x360 Intel® Core™ i7 prosessorilla

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1 Väite tietoturvallisimmasta tietokoneesta perustuu HP:n ainutlaatuisiin ja kattaviin turvallisuusominaisuuksiin, jotka kuuluvat lisäkuluitta 7. sukupolven Intel® Core™ suorittimella, Windows Pro OS:lla ja kiinteällä näppäimistöllä varustettuihin hybridi-tietokoneisiin 1. joulukuuta 2016 lähtien. Väite ohuimmasta tietokoneesta perustuu kilpailijavertailuun kiinteiden hybridi-tietokoneiden luokassa, jossa vuosimyynti on vähintään miljoona kappaletta ja joissa on Windows Pro OS sekä joko 6. tai 7. sukupolven U-sarjan Intel® Core™ vPro™ -suorittimet. Ultrabook, Celeron, Celeron Inside, Core Inside, Intel, Intel Logo, Intel Atom, Intel Atom Inside, Intel Core, Intel Inside, Intel Inside Logo, Intel vPro, Itanium, Itanium Inside, Pentium, Pentium Inside, vPro Inside, Xeon, Xeon Phi, and Xeon Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or other countries. © Copyright 2017 HP Development Company, L.P. Näitä tietoja voidaan muuttaa ilman erillistä ilmoitusta. Kaikki muut tavaramerkit ovat haltijoidensa omaisuutta.

DESTINATION CHONGQING

From the

DRAGON’S mouth

The naturally hot spring water of northern Chongqing’s Beibei region rejuvenates body, mind, and soul.

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY DANIEL ALLEN

46 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

Naturally hot spring water gushes from a gargoyle at the Bolian Resort and Spa Chongqing.

DECEMBER 2017

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47

G K C

s to flie ree r i th na Fin gqing ek n we o s a om Ch e tim air.c finn

A suite at the Bolian Resort and Spa Chongqing offers private pools and views of the Jialing River.

48 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

W

ith the sun dipping behind the fertile crest of Jinyun Mountain, candles and lanterns at the Bolian Resort & Spa throw flickering reflections across verandas and bamboo trees. Guests luxuriating in their own private hot spring tubs take in the day’s last views over the Jialing River, as it surges past on its way to meet the mighty Yangtze. Here in Chongqing’s Beibei district, a short drive from the city’s bustling, soaring downtown, it’s a vignette of hydrothermal hedonism.

Thanks to ample geothermal resources and a lush local landscape, Chongqing is one of the best places to embrace China’s venerable hot spring culture. In 2012, FEMTEC – the World Federation of Hydrotherapy and Climatotherapy – held its annual conference in the city, awarding it the title Global Capital of Hot Springs.

World rankings aside, Chongqing’s plethora of hot spring facilities now offer visitors a unique range of health, beauty, and spa treatments. To the north of the city, the balmy waters of Beibei were once exclusively enjoyed by emperors and Chinese nobility. Today,

thankfully, anyone can soak, steam, and pamper themselves here in style and seclusion.

A HISTORY OF HOT WATER Many Chinese emperors had their own favourite bathing hangouts. The Huaqing hot spring, just outside the city of Xi’an, was the setting for a famous romantic liaison between the Emperor Xuanzong and his comely concubine Yang Guifei during the Tang Dynasty (618–907), while the hot springs of Xiaotangshan in Beijing regularly welcomed royals, aristocrats, and even foreign dignitaries during the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368–1912).

While Beibei’s Northern Hot Spring Scenic Park is a relatively modern development, the area is reputed to be the birthplace of Chinese hydrothermal resort culture. Its 1600-year hot spring history, which is closely entwined with the local Wenquan (Hot Spring) Temple, makes it even older than Japan’s Arima Onsen, an esteemed bathing facility built by Kobe monks in the eighth century.

With its ochre-leaved gingko trees, heady, incenseladen air and cohort of mustard-robed monks, today Wenquan Temple remains an oasis of calm and

Chongqing is one of the best places in China to enjoy a spot of hydrothermal hedonism.

DECEMBER 2017

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Yoga practice at the Bolian Resort and Spa Chongqing.

spiritual repose. Situated at the very heart of the Bolian Resort, it makes the perfect place to spend a mellow, meditative hour following spa treatment or laidback soaking.

Wang Ming, head monk of Wenquan, is proud to be associated with such a longstanding religious institution, and the temple’s seminal role in Chongqing’s hydrothermal history.

“Our temple, which was founded in 423 during the Song Dynasty, started hot spring culture in this city,” he explains in heavily accented Mandarin. “It has witnessed huge changes and important events in its lifetime. In 1259, Möngke Khan, the fourth ruler of the Mongol Empire, actually died here after being hit by cannon fire. Things are slightly more tranquil these days.”

Wang Ming, head monk of Wenquan Temple.

50 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

REPUBLICAN RESORT The Northern Hot Spring Scenic Park also boasts a curious contemporary history. Beibei (literally “north rock” in Mandarin) District, where the park is located, takes its name from a giant boulder that used to sit in the middle of the Jialing River, above which the Bolian Resort is now perched. Thanks to the Three Gorges Dam and subsequent rise in water levels behind it, this geological landmark is now fully submerged.

The brainchild of progressive entrepreneur Lu Zuofu, Beibei started life as a new town during the

days of the Republic of China (1912–1949). As part of the town’s grand social experiment, Lu opened the hot spring park in 1927.

“This was the first public space in China where ordinary people could buy a ticket and enjoy hot spring facilities,” says local historian Rachel Hu. “With guesthouses, a library, and a museum, it soon drew large crowds, particularly during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945).”

FEELING THE HEAT Historical diversions aside, Beibei and its complement of hot spring resorts are all about health, relaxation, and personal pampering. The area’s ten springs generate over 7,000 tonnes of naturally heated water each day, which gushes from the ground at a temperature of 35 to 40 degrees Celsius (95–104˚F).

The alkaline outpourings of Beibei contain myriad trace elements (especially calcium sulphate), many with supposedly therapeutic properties – these warm waters have always been a magnet for those looking to help relieve a corncucopia of ailments. But for families and couples, they’re also a great way to wind down and soak away your cares in an informal environment. Many a cross-cultural friendship has been struck up in the blissful confines of a Chongqing hot spring pool.

With its verdant greenery and moss-clad rocks, the

TAMPERE

– DESTINATION

INLAND

FINLAND

Bolian Resort’s extensive, hot spring compound feels more like a sub-tropical playground than a high-end resort. Bathers here are spoiled for choice, with 26 baths and pools of various temperatures and chemical compositions nestling amongst the lush foliage.

According to Shirley Jiang, each pool has its own unique function.

“The whirlpool and bubble springs stimulate the nerves,” says the Chongqing native. “The fragrant spring, with its petals, rose, and lavender oils, rejuvenates the skin. And with added fine white wine, the joy tsin spring is good for activating the blood.”

Those travellers who forgot to pack their pumice may like to avail themselves of Bolian’s fish pool, where schools of pint-sized garra rufa effect painless pedicures, while there’s even an underground cave pool, large enough to suspend three or four subterranean bathers in a state of vaporous, aquatic bliss.

“The cave is hot, it’s dark and it’s super steamy,” says Jiang. “I always feel like I’m entering a dragon’s belly when I go down there. But in a good way, if you know what I mean.”

CONTEMPORARY CLASSICS Surrounded by the gnarled trunks of ancient, crimsonleaved Chinese maples, the spa centre at the Bolian Resort offers bird’s-eye views of the steep-sided

Sports and more in Tampere

Tampere is in a league of its own when it comes to hosting sports and other events. The new arena will house many of these in the future – starting with the 2022 Ice Hockey World Championships.

Tampere Helsinki Stockholm Riga

1h Bremen

2h Budapest

Tomorrow AB / Studio Libeskind

3h

www.airrport.fi TampereAirport

Guests at the Bolian Resort and Spa Chongqing take an early morning dip.

Jialing River valley. But more than the memorable panoramas, it is the oriental-style pampering on offer here that seems to attract a neverending procession of guests.

In fact, the only thing likely to furrow the brow here is choosing which spa regime to indulge in.

Inspired by the nearby Wenquan Temple, Bolian’s “Sanctuary of the Soul” treatment involves facial aromatherapy, singing bowls, oil massages, a foot ritual with fresh rose petals, all finished off with a blessing ceremony to induce total relaxation.

Yet it’s the spa’s award-winning “Tea Moxibustion Herbal Punch Treatment” which seems to draw the ravest of reviews. As one of the classic treatments of traditional chinese medicine, moxibustion therapy

52 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

has a history of more than 2,000 years. At Bolian today it involves placing heated herbal compression packs directly onto the skin.

“The basic principle of moxibustion therapy is to place or press heated moxa (dried mugwort) or other herbal concoctions on the body’s acupoints,” explains Shirley Jiang. “This warms the meridians and promotes the flow of Qi and blood. It’s great for general health and disease prevention.”

For those apprehensive about language and cultural issues, both Bolian and the nearby Banyan Tree hot spring resort offer visitors the chance to immerse themselves in Chinese hot spring culture in a relaxed, multilingual environment. Getting into hot water in China never felt so good as it does here. l

SPRING SELECTION

A hot spring session is typically followed

by Chinese black tea.

BOLIAN RESORT & SPA CHONGQING

Based in London and Asia, awardwinning writer and photographer Daniel Allen has journeyed widely across the globe.

Enjoy a high-end hot spring experience at Bolian Resort, which offers guests a range of communal bathing pools, spa treatments, and Chinese and international cuisine. Each of the 31 villas here faces the beautiful Jialing River valley and has its own spring-fed pool. The resort’s hot spring compound is also open to the public, with an adult ticket (which includes refreshments and a light meal after bathing) costing around 300 RMB (€39). bolianresorts.com

BANYAN TREE CHONGQING BEIBEI Nestled at the foot of Jinyun Mountain Natural Reserve, the Banyan Tree Chongqing Beibei is the Banyan Group’s first luxury hot spring resort. With a wide range of accommodation available, suites and villas boast their own personal hot spring dipping pool fed by the healing waters of the North Hot Spring, or a private swimming pool. The spa offers the wellness benefits of a therapeutic hot spring facility, as well as Banyan’s typical spa treatments. banyantree.com

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*Access to preferred or pre-reserved seating is in accordance with the individual policy of the oneworld member airline operating the flight. First and business class check-in desks and lounges are not available at all airports. Fast track is not available at all airports. Priority baggage handling is not available on flights operated by British Airways. Extra baggage allowance benefits differ for Sapphire and Emerald level members. oneworld benefits are available only to passengers on scheduled flights that are both marketed and operated by a oneworld member airline (marketed means that there must be a oneworld member airline’s flight number on your ticket). American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LATAM Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines, SriLankan Airlines and oneworld are trademarks of their respective companies. LATAM Airlines (Paraguay) is currently not a part of oneworld. Some limitations and exceptions may apply. For more information, visit www.oneworld.com/benefits.

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VISIT FINLAND

100 YEARS YOUNG and looking forward

The legacy of Finland’s centenary celebrations helps to debunk some of the well-worn clichés about the Finnish national character.

TEXT BY TIM BIRD

Y

ou’ve heard some of the stereotypes. Finns covet ”private space” and they define conversation in monosyllables. These generalisations are always spurious, but as Finland reaches the end of its centenary year as an independent country, it is clearly time for a rethink.

Not so long ago ”hug research” carried out by the University of Oxford and Finland’s own Aalto University placed Finns ahead of France, Italy, Russia, and the UK in a ”Touchability” index. This conclusion

56 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

came as a surprise to many, but the gregarious tendencies and overall potential affable chattiness of Finns, especially younger ones, were already obvious to anyone who has hung out at Helsinki’s Flow Festival, for example, or a big sporting event.

So to set things straight, here is a round up of just a few of the many Finland 100 programme events reflecting a spirit of national togetherness, pride, and confidence that seems set to endure beyond the official celebrations.

ELO FOUNDATION

LET’S EAT TOGETHER Although they bring up the rear for OECD countries when it comes to communal dining, research shows that Finns want more social dining in their lives. This project involves food festivals and events across the country designed to encourage “a food and drink culture with an even greater sense of community.”

Project director Sini Garam of the ELO Foundation for the

100 MOODS FROM FINLAND The brainchild of Lapland-based Flatlight Creative House and launched for but not limited to the centenary, this project presents 100 moods and locations across the country by means of fabulous 360° online videos. Admire the Northern Lights from Muonio in Lapland or the morning sunshine on the gleaming façade of Helsinki’s Lutheran Cathedral in Helsinki.

100moods.com

Promotion of Finnish Food Culture says, “Food can act as a good excuse to bring people together, a gentle way to care about your loved ones or get to know new people, new perspectives, build common ground.

It’s not always easy to say: ‘I care about you’. But it’s easy to say:

‘Let’s eat together’.”

syodaanyhdessa.fi/in-english

FINLAND MY HOME A continuing collection of “Fascinating reflections by real people who’ve moved to Finland” is a timely reminder that Finland’s ethnic mix is continuously and happily widening.

“In this year of sisu, sauna, and Finnish war heroes, I wanted to shine a light on the changing face of Finland through the eyes of 100 immigrants,” says Peter Seenan, founder of the Finland My Home project. “Their stories tell of the ups and downs of life and emphasise that everyone has a different experience.” finlandmyhome.com

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Before 2017 you might not have heard of Säkylä, a small community of 7,000 souls in southwestern Finland, but resident Kari Hietala put it on the map this year by assembling a convoy of Finland’s most traditional means of rural winter transport, the kicksled, on a nearby frozen lake. One hundred of them, of course. More proof that Finnish design is ageless.

TARU RANTALA / VASTAVALO

ONE-HIT VERSIONS OF DESIGN CLASSICS The best designs have an infinite shelf life, but Finland’s top brands have taken the opportunity to bring out special 2017 celebratory versions that could become collectors’ items. The Blue and White of the Finnish flag is very much in evidence in many of these one-hit issues.

IITTALA glass is way ahead of the pack with special versions of its classic Kartio glasses, Kastehelmi plates, Aalto vases, and Toikka ornamental birds.

MARIMEKKO mugs, oven gloves, kitchen mats, bags and bed sheets come in special anniversary designs.

RYE EXPRESSION Pizza, pea soup, the Easter mämmi pudding, bilberry pie, Baltic herring, Karelian pasties – all were candidates in a national vote staged by the ELO Foundation for the Promotion of

58 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

Finnish Food Culture for the Finnish National Food, but the eventual winner was that staple, rye bread. This ubiquitous national source of nutrition is most definitely not just this year’s thing.

FISKARS have temporarily but boldly replaced their instantly recognisable cutting-edge orange scissor handles with a blue and white version.

FAZER, in addition to publishing its own Finland 100 Menu, has unveiled a ‘special edition’ of Karl Fazer blue label milk chocolate, every Finn’s favourite.

Finland’s centenary year culminates on December 6.

JUHO KUVA / VISIT FINLAND

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EUROPEAN VOICES

BY STEFAN NILSSON

Happy, healthy New Year

T

he standing desk, the Maybe all public spaces will have a wall 5:2 diet, mindfulness, garden of some kind in the near future. digital health monitoring But health is not only about air pollution devices… and curing the sick. Health is also about The wellness trend food and fitness. Ready for a new, healthier is here to stay, and my resolution this New Year? trendhunter’s crystal ball says that 2018 will When it comes to food, healthy drinks be another year that we do healthy things remain on trend, but we’ll try to avoid the for the good of our bodies. vitamin drinks and juices from last year. We According to the American psychologist learned the hard way that freshly pressed Abraham Maslow, hierarchy of needs juices contain too much sugar. Instead we explains why we want something, or in will be favouring vinegar infusions and other words our “motivational force.” kombucha, like the brews made at Caravan Formed as a ladder or a pyramid, our most King’s Cross in London. It seems our basic “level one” needs are physical things appetite for all things anti-inflammatory like shelter. Next we need a door, which is and gut-healthy is nearly insatiable. Finnish level two: “safety”. After brand Valio conducted that, we need to belong to a survey among women 2018 IS ALL ABOUT a group and perhaps also in Sweden and found to feel love. The top level that the number of REAL HEALTH – NOT is “self-actualization.” people suffering from BIGGER BICEPS. This is where abdominal discomfort most of us are is increasing, with onetoday. We want activities, values, fifth of Swedish women reporting stomach or trends that help us achieve our aches. An accompanying trend is the use full potential. And today we rank of spices for inflammatory release, such as “health” as a key driver for being a adding turmeric to your morning coffee for better person. a better start to your stomach’s day.

In 2018 we will see the drive for And, when it comes to workouts health go in two directions: health and health, the trend is clear – it’s all as in handling the toxins floating about working with your body. Skip in the air, and also health as in our equipment and do some planking, pullrelationship with our bodies. ups and crunches. With gyms no longer How, then, will this health drive competing over who has the most find reflection in our lifestyle in 2018? expensive equipment, the competitive We will, for starters, buy more plants edge will be knowledge and commitment. to serve as air purifiers in our homes, Perhaps the best workout routine will such as Sansevieria trifasciata, which be the one that helps you sleep better at cleans indoor air. And there are of night. Again, 2018 is all about real health. course companies like Ogreen that Not bigger biceps. l package your favourite window sill plants complete with information on exactly how many square cubic metres each plant will cleanse.

Stefan Nilsson is a Stockholm-based trend Or look at skyscrapers like Bosco hunter and gallerist. Best known for his blog Vertical by Stefano Boeri in Milan, Trendstefan, he is also the owner of Designgaland the new award-winning 25hour leriet and head of the Designbloggarna blog Hotel Bikini Berlin by Werner network. Check out his YouTube channel Aisslinger, or award-winning Trendstefan TV as well as his Instagram restaurant Hypothesis in Bangkok. account: @trendstefan

60 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

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DESTINATION LAPLAND

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THE WILD

IVL

ies ir fl ee a n r Fin lo th y a v I da to sa m e tim air.co finn

Reetta Koski and Hannu Holmberg share a mutual love for snow kiting in the wild.

62 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

In Lapland, hours of winter daylight are few and far between.

Snow kiting in the wilderness and nightly trips to the fells show an undiscovered side to wintry Lapland.

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY LAURA IISALO

T

wo hours north of Ivalo Airport near the Norwegian border sits Nuorgam, a traditional Sámi village where winters are long and dusky, and the polar night – a season when the sun never peeks above the horizon all day – lasts for 53 days. With only two supermarkets in town and vast nature reserves all around, it is a superb destination for travellers wanting to escape the crowds and experience the real Lapland.

Reetta Koski and Hannu Holmberg are two of the village’s 150 residents. The couple met in 2013 when they were both living near Helsinki but soon moved to Holmberg’s former hometown to set up a business together making the most of the surrounding nature and their mutual love of sports. Their summers are now

spent taking guests canoeing and mountain biking while winters are devoted to snow kiting, a sport similar to trendy kite surfing made famous by Barack Obama and Richard Branson in the Caribbean earlier this year.

Using wind power for gliding on snow or ice, and in Holmberg’s case across the mountains, it usually takes around six hours for someone to master the basic skills.

No previous experience is required but all beginners must be prepared to fail. On a blustery day the wind hurls the kite up with so much power it is hard to be prepared, which can result in beginners falling down several times. “We always challenge our guests a little bit and encourage them to push their limits. The best memories are made when people exceed their own expectations,” Koski says.

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PREPARING FOR THE WILD After a day of practicing the basics, it’s time to get serious with a snow kiting trek across Kaldoaivi, the largest wilderness area in Finland. The adventure starts in the morning after Koski and Holmberg pack necessary equipment in a sledge that is attached to the back of a snowmobile. Kites, boots, skis, food, tent, extra clothing, sleeping bags, and radiotelephones all go in. With no mobile phone network and no people around, thorough preparation is essential. “When you go to the wilderness, you’re at the mercy of nature. You need to know your way around and you need to be set for anything,” Holmberg explains.

All the hard work pays off when the group glides across the lakes, without a single soul in sight, just white snow and ice as far as the eye can see. After nightfall, it’s time to head to the tent that Holmberg has pitched beforehand. Sitting around the fire and tucking into hot reindeer stew and mashed potatoes, the group warms up nicely. “We don’t look to push to extremes, but it’s a great feeling when you get really tired and then you’re happy to call it a day,” Holmberg concludes.

Forest skiing is a traditional winter sport.

64 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

MAGIC OF THE ARCTIC NIGHT Nightly outings in the wild are also a passion project for Noora Lompolojärvi, a fourth-generation resident in Ylläsjärvi, traditionally a reindeer herding village and now a popular travel destination. Having worked as a guide for five years, she has seen countless guests fall in love with Arctic nature again and again. While many come to Lapland to see the Northern Lights, they leave with much more than that. “People often ask where and what time the Northern Lights appear. As much as we would like everyone to experience them, it’s never predictable.

There is so much more to experience, so seeing the Northern Lights is like a great bonus,” notes Lompolojärvi.

One of the most popular ways to explore the neighbouring fells and lakes is the nightly snowmobile trip, a thrilling adventure that takes guests around the snowy landscape topped by a shared dinner of reindeer soup or barbequed sausages in a wooden kota, a small campfire-heated hut in the middle of the woods. For a more peaceful itinerary, there is

Floating in a frozen lake sounds extreme, but it is surprisingly relaxing!

Raija Palosaari has been taking people on winter treks for over 20 years.

traditional forest skiing and snowshoeing with added flora and fauna spotting.

LURE OF LAPLAND While exotic expeditions are a great way to observe Lapland’s nature, an excellent way to crown the experience is a stay at Laulumaa, a traditional 19th century log cabin. Surrounded by snowy trees and peaceful silence, evenings are spent savouring local foods and enjoying the soothing warmth of a traditional sauna while listening to the surrounding silence.

The laid-back Lappish way of life attracts long-term residents from around the world who come and work as guides in order to spend time in nature and with likeminded people. One of them is Lompolojärvi’s colleague, Frenchman Jean-Philippe Jehan– or “Jamppa” as his colleagues have amicably christened him. “The best thing that can happen in Lapland is getting connected with the nature and people. People here are very reliable and honest, so it feels very easy being here.”

CHASING THE NORTHERN LIGHTS A little less than 70 kilometres northeast of Ylläsjärvi is Levi, the largest ski resort in Finland, and home to Raija Palosaari, or Raiski, as she prefers to be called. An ex-scout, Palosaari has such a deep-rooted love for nature that she used to take all her friends and relatives on nature expeditions until someone suggested 20 years ago that she should start a business doing what she enjoys most in life.

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Like most people heading to Lapland, Palosaari’s guests are also eager to witness the Northern Lights. To maximise their chances, she takes them to a spot where the odds are the highest, sometimes in sleeping bags with a bottle of hot juice and some homemade cookies to keep them warm – yet nothing is ever certain. “It‘s something that money cannot buy. It’s like fishing; you either get lucky or you don’t,” says Palosaari.

HUM OF THE COSMOS Catching a glimpse of the Northern Lights requires patience. Palosaari says that the best places to see them are either near a lake or on top of a fell, Pallas being her favourite. “When you see the colour show blazing against the fell it really is something. It’s hard to explain, it’s something you need to see for yourself. It’s an experience that stays with you for a long time.”

While there are many myths surrounding the Northern Lights, surprisingly little actual research has been done on the subject. For a long time researchers claimed that the Northern Lights are silent, but Palosaari disagrees. “Anyone who has ever had the opportunity to listen in complete silence can tell that there is a slight humming sound,” she claims.

What she loves most about chasing the Northern Lights is the complete experience: a chance to be one with the nature. “When people fall in love with nature they want to preserve it, not destroy it. That’s where I feel happiness; that everything is all right.” l

JEAN-PHILIPPE JEHAN

66 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

LAPLAND ADVENTURES Nuorgam-based Alma Arktika arranges snow kiting and skiing treks in Kaldoaivi, the largest wilderness area in Finland. almaarktika.fi Safartica organises snowmobiling, snowshoeing, skiing, ice floating, fat biking safaris, and other winter adventures in Ylläs and Rovaniemi. safartica.com Raija Palosaari and her team take guests on guided hikes and Northern Lights quests to the fells throughout the winter season. lapinluontoelamys.fi

Laura Iisalo is a Helsinki-based writer and photographer charmed by the magic of Lapland. A keen snowmobiler and nature lover, she keeps returning north on a regular basis.

NEW ROUTE TO CHARMING LISBON T H E N O R D I C WAY

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Experience the unforgettable mixture of traditional and modern in the capital of Portugal.

Listen to traditional Fado music in the streets of Alfama, hop on board an old-fashioned city tram and enjoy vivacious urban life and delicious food. Flights to Lisbon will be operated up to six times a week from June to October 2018. Book your summer flights at finnair.com

68 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

Japan’s changing

BUSINESS MINDSET The emerging start-up scene challenges the country’s corporate orthodoxy.

TEXT BY ELLIOT SILVERBERG ILLUSTRATION BY JUSSI KAAKINEN

T

he Toto toilet, a state-of-the-art guarantor of sanitation for bathroomgoers worldwide, offers a useful rejoinder to those who doubt Japan for its years of economic and social drift. Japan’s reputation as an innovator remains intact, and today the country ranks third globally for R&D spending as a percentage of GDP – ahead of the United States and China.

Even so, Japan’s start-up ecosystem is underdeveloped. Three years ago, the Global

Entrepreneurship Monitor placed Japan 69th out of 70 countries for early-stage entrepreneurial activity.

Piotr Grzywacz, CEO of consulting firm Pronoia Group, blames the state of Japanese entrepreneurship on a tight regulatory framework and public bearishness on startups.

Regulatory reform has been gradual. In 2006, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) scrapped a company registration law raising the collateral requirements for new business owners.

Despite lowering the required good-faith indemnity to

DECEMBER 2017

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“There are many more startups, with smaller amounts being invested into them, that are doing business with each other. Today, there’s a real ecosystem.”

a nominal 0.01 euros, METI’s initiative offers only partial relief to foreign entrepreneurs, who must guarantee an initial capital investment exceeding 41,000 euros.

On the investor front, the improvements are more nuanced. Due in part to a new government provision making 80 per cent of venture investment tax-deductible, corporate funds and other venture groups have grown their activity by 300 per cent over three years. But these funds are often misplaced, according to Grzywacz, formerly of Morgan Stanley and Google Japan.

“The venture arms of corporations here are limited in their understanding of startups,” Grzywacz says.

“They usually comprise salaried workers rotated from one division to another, who are ill-equipped to guide a startup through its growing pains.”

CHANGING OF THE GUARD Yoshiaki Ishii, director of METI’s New Business Policy Office and architect of the new policy on collateral, insists the changes are solid and run deep. According to Ishii, Japan’s current leadership is systematically laying the foundations of a healthy start-up ecosystem.

After assuming office in late 2012, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe courted industry leaders and investors aggressively, even visiting Silicon Valley in 2015 – the first sitting Japanese prime minister to do so. He established the Japan Venture Awards, an annual start-up competition jointly funded by METI and top corporations, and promoted entrepreneur and investor summits held under the aegis of the Venture Business Creation Council and Innovation Network Corporation Japan, among others.

Since 2016, the government has funded a pilot entrepreneurship education initiative in some 30 Japanese elementary, middle, and high schools.

Building on earlier programmes dating to 1999, the new initiative includes seminars on communication, 70 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

financial literacy, business modelling, and risk management, and allows students to simulate start-up incubation.

A special advisor to Prime Minister Abe and his Cabinet, William Saito – who started his first company in high school and is involved in efforts to improve Japan’s IT education – believes the programme is important for the country’s start-up future, though he is sceptical of its eventual success.

“While government-led efforts to improve the start-up curricula are well-meaning and a step in the right direction, until they become more scalable – for instance, by bringing in outside experts when students outstrip their teachers – I don’t see this making much of a dent in people’s fears about the very real dangers of becoming an entrepreneur in Japan,” says Saito.

Still, for Japan Inc., whose ageing workforce promises an increase in individual purchasing power and opportunity for future generations, it is only logical to focus on the needs of young people.

Stanford University researcher Kenji Kushida, writing for the Asia Pacific Initiative, a Japanese think tank, says Japan’s economy has moved from manufacturing to services, and is undergoing a seismic digital revolution. Kushida says these transformations are upending the traditional model of lifetime employment in a big company, and providing exposure to alternative means of employment. This, in turn, is destabilising for the country’s powerful corporate orthodoxy and welcome news for its brightest young visionaries.

A REAL ECOSYSTEM At Slush Tokyo, a popular start-up convention originating in Helsinki with annual sister gatherings in Beijing, Shanghai, and Singapore, the focus is squarely on young people. Everything from the event’s international assemblage and retro atmospherics, to its colourful mix of exhibition booths featuring the latest in high tech is tailored to a young audience.

Indeed, Slush is virtually a student-led organisation.

“We are very proud of our community of student volunteers,” says Antti Sonninen, Slush Tokyo CEO.

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“Our objective has always been to interest young people in startups, and what better way to achieve that than by making them a part of our operation.”

In a country where the majority of high school graduates go on to college (52 per cent in 2014), university-affiliated venture incubators, like University of Tokyo Edge Capital (UTEC) and Miyako Capital of Kyoto University, play a pivotal role in upending the stigma attached to startups. Kushida points to Spiber and Cyberdyne, winners at the inaugural Japan Venture Awards in 2015, as pioneers in this new wave of university-incubated startups.

Spiber was founded by two college students who synthesised spider silk in a small university laboratory.

Now it partners with North Face, the American outdoor apparel giant. Cyberdyne has authorised some 222 million euros in capital stock as of 2016, and markets its HAL (human assistive limb) robotic suits to medical facilities and private consumers on three continents.

“In 1997, Japan had a large amount of money flowing into a very few startups,” says Tim Romero, an investor, entrepreneur, and host of the Disrupting Japan podcast. “Though big, stable internet companies like Rakuten and GREE came out of that era, there are many more startups, with smaller amounts being invested into them, that are doing business with each other. Today, there’s a real ecosystem.”

Like Romero, Grzywacz is optimistic: “Entrepreneurs have plenty of opportunities to gain access to funding in Japan, and there’s still relatively little going on given the size of the economy. Hence, not much competition. Reform comes in fits and spurts, but we’re beginning to see pockets of change in places like Fukuoka, Sendai, and Tokyo’s Minato Ward.” l

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A T T R A C T I V E

E M P L O Y E R S

KONE

offers truly international careers BOTH KATRI SAARENHEIMO AND TOMMI RANTANEN HAVE ACHIEVED GREAT CAREERS AT KONE, A GLOBAL LEADER IN THE ELEVATOR AND ESCALATOR INDUSTRY.

S

aarenheimo’s KONE career started over six years ago when she got a position in investor relations. “It gave me a great overlook of KONE’s global business.”

Her career path highlights how a diversity of skills is valued at KONE. “My background in political science and economics is different to many others here. KONE wanted to hire me even though I didn’t have the exact experience for the role, and since then I’ve constantly been provided with new opportunities.”

A year ago, Saarenheimo shifted to KONE’s global maintenance division for new challenges. “As a director, I drive and support several projects targeting to develop our customer experience. We have ambitious goals and our services will soon look different to what one might have got accustomed to over the past 50 years”, she enlightens.

Many career paths to choose from Tommi Rantanen has worked at KONE for nearly a decade.

He’s now fulfilled his dream of a career abroad. He just returned to Finland after working three years for KONE Americas in Chicago.

“While I worked in Finland earlier, I met my American wife who also works for KONE. By common decision we opted for the US. Now we’re back in Finland to raise our son here and we both got positions in Finland again”, says Rantanen, who works as an operations development manager for new services and solutions at KONE. Living abroad opened Rantanen’s eyes about the Finnish culture. Some say that Finns are reserved, but Rantanen disagrees. “After you make the first initiative, you’ll see that we are very friendly indeed.

While KONE is strongly regarded as a top-class technical manufacturing and services company, according to Saarenheimo and Rantanen KONE’s success is not only about technological superiority.

“In our view, technology does not replace the customer experience but it’s a key instrument for a better experience.

Only by listening to and fulfilling our customers’ individual needs, can we create significant success.” ●

Tommi Rantanen and Katri Saarenheimo have already worked in many positions at KONE.

KONE is an innovative leader in the elevator and escalator industry. Our job is to make the best of the world's cities, buildings and public spaces. We believe that smarter and more sustainable cities are part of the solution for better living.

Read more: www.kone.com

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O F

D E L L A

M A R G A

Della Marga is located in the very center of Helsinki at North Esplanade.

Della Marga

– A FASHION MECCA IN HELSINKI HELSINKI’S CITY CENTRE IS A COMBINATION OF BOTH INTERNATIONAL AND HISTORICAL ATMOSPHERE, OFFERING SOMETHING OF INTEREST TO EVERY VISITOR. A HOTSPOT FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN HAUTE COUTURE IS THE DELLA MARGA BOUTIQUE ON ESPLANADI AND ITS SELECTION OF TOP BRANDS.

D

ella Marga hosts a unique shop-in-shop for Chanel accessories, one of only two such multi brand shops in Europe. Della Marga’s selection also includes some of the best collections from Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Moncler and Giorgio and Emporio Armani.

In addition to its selection, the boutique is known for its unforgettably friendly service: ”For us, it is important that our service is at the same luxurious level as our products,” says Margaretha Aittokoski, owner of Della Marga.

Aittokoski established her first clothes shop in 1981, starting her selection with a collection by Giorgio Armani. ”Armani had founded his label only five years before. He had already launched a number of collections and I unwittingly bought the most expensive items.”

Next year, Aittokoski was offered another top label, a collection of Chanel accessories: ”The fact that I have this type of shop is completely

unique. In addition to us, there is only one other Chanel shop-in-shop in Europe.”

A career in beauty, one way or another Before starting her fashion business, Aittokoski had a long career as an elegant air hostess and she also worked as a PR hostess for a television channel. These international experiences made her understand beauty in a completely new way. ”There was a point where I was touring Finland with all the top models of the time, hosting fashion shows. I was inspired by the models’ habit of wearing black, even though black clothing was not trendy in Finland at the time. After visiting some European fashion fairs, I realised I could import black clothing myself. That’s where the idea for my own shop began.” ”Throughout my 36 years of entrepreneurship, I have always handled PRODUCED BY CALCUS.COM

purchasing activities personally. Della Marga is my seventeenth shop at Esplanade and I have worked hard to introduce and maintain some of the top Italian and French fashion in the world to Finland,” says Aittokoski. ●

歡迎到店

Margaretha Aittokoski, owner of Della Marga.

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E X P E R I E N C E

F I N L A N D

Pyhä-Luosto

– THE JEWELS OF LAPLAND

P

yhä–Luosto is a diverse destination comprising two fell resorts in the centre of Lapland. Together, Pyhä and Luosto, which are Finland’s southernmost large fells, offer exciting all year-round adventures. The resorts are connected by the Pyhä-Luosto National Park and its’ impressive chain of 12 fells.

cities. Can you believe that in 200 nights of the year there is a chance to see the northern lights in Pyhä-Luosto. You can join different kind of programs exploring the secrets of the northern lights.

Wonderland of winter sports

Experience the arctic sky and the northern lights

Pyhä-Luosto is also skier’s paradise – The ski resort’s well-groomed slopes as well as Pyhä’s great back country skiing possibilities together with an extensive network of ski tracks offer good settings for winter sport. Apart from skiing tips for an active traveler are to try ice climbing, fat biking or ice-karting.

If a holiday in Lapland is on your bucket list we warmly welcome you to Pyhä-Luosto!

Distance from Rovaniemi airport and the Arctic Circle 1h 30 min, from Kittilä airport 1h 45 min and from Kuusamo airport 2h 45 min. ●

The northern nature urges you to live for the moment. The arctic sky with its phenomenon: midnight sun, northern lights and stars are unforgettable experiences for people living in

Direct return bus connection for most of the Finnair flights from Rovaniemi.

More information: www.pyha.fi and www.luosto.fi Get inspired @visitpyhalapland and @arcticluosto

Adventures in pure arctic nature Leave your busy life behind and enjoy some peace and quiet. Only few steps from your hotel or cabin you can blaze your snowshoe trail in the untouched snow or go ice-fishing on one of the resort’s frozen lakes. There is also a wide range of guided tours on offer, such as a snowmobile, reindeer and dog sleigh safaris, or an adventure in the Amethyst Mine. The only Amethyst Mine in whole Europe welcoming visitors.

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E X P E R I E N C E

F I N L A N D

A Winter Wonderland

WITH FULL SERVICE! THE SANTA CLAUS HOLIDAY VILLAGE, SITUATED IN PAJAKYLÄ NEAR THE ARCTIC CIRCLE AND ROVANIEMI, IS A COZY AND MAGICAL HOLIDAY VILLAGE WITH ALL OF THE SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RIGHT NEXT TO YOU.

T

he Pokka family running the Holiday Village has a long history within the travel business. Established almost 50 years ago, their business – originally specialized in treating reindeer hides – today is a holiday resort consisting of two restaurants and over a hundred top quality condos. Their family’s daughter, Inga, has grown up alongside the business.

“I started as a cashier when I was 8 years old. I have always loved this job and the atmosphere here. That is why it was always clear to me, ever since I was a child, that this is what I want to do”, Inga Pokka-Jääskö says standing in the middle of the new reception building lobby, beaming with pride. She has been running the holiday village with her husband Marko Jääskö since 1994.

Customer is King When a visitor lands at Rovaniemi Airport, they are met by a chauffeur and an easy ride all the way to the very door of their assigned holiday condo. Later on, as the visitors check in, they are showered with all the different activity choices available to them during their stay. There are safaris and rides with reindeer, huskies and

snow mobiles, guided tours on cross country skis or snowshoes, through ice fishing as well as visits to the many local Christmassy attractions.

From fall to spring, visitors can also take part in tours moving through the complete darkness of the Laplandic woods, away from the glare of the neon lights, gazing at the enchanting Aurora Borealis.

All of the condos available have a small kitchen and a sauna, so they are just ideal for family vacations. One of the restaurants serves pizza and pasta dishes, the other caters different delicacies of Lapland á la carte. Neither of them stouts about under the Michelin stars, but instead, enchants you to enjoy the wonderful food and company even in your ski suit.

“WE are visited by many wedding couples and couples celebrating their anniversaries”, Inga Jääskö says summing up the spirit of the Santa Claus Holiday Village: “Over here with us, you can either enjoy several activities or just enjoy being. We take every visitor’s individual preferences into consideration.” ● PRODUCED BY CALCUS.COM

Inga Pokka-Jääskö and Marko Jääskö meet Santa Claus every day.

FINNAIR NEWS COMPILED BY SHELLY NYQVIST AND AINO VÄHÄLÄ ANNI MARTIKAINEN / FOLK

MEALS WORTH PRE-ORDERING Make the most of your time in the air with Nordic Bistro. Select your meal in advance for Business Class flights, or buy a tasty meal for your Economy Class flight. See the menu selection at finnair.com

Did you know?

With the goal of serving 30 million passengers in the future, Finavia is further securing Helsinki Airport’s status as a world-class hub. Here are three interesting facts about the airport: FINNAIR

1 Finavia and Finnair tested face

recognition technology at check-in.

ART TESTERS

STARTING THIS year, Finnish eighthgrade students get to delve into the world of art through the Taidetestaajat (Art Testers) programme, a project funded by the Finnish Cultural Foundation and the Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland and coordinated by the Association of Finnish Children’s Cultural Centres. The programme arranges and pays for each class to visit two museums, theatres, or concert halls – one visit taking place in a nearby area and the other elsewhere in

2 Runway 15–33, also known as

Runway 2, covers an area equal to 20 football fields.

ISTOCK

FINAVIA

Finland. The goal is to provide all eighthgraders equal opportunities to experience and evaluate culture. The campaign is set to run until May 2020.

Finnair is taking part in the project by flying these young art critics to venues all over the country. With almost 60,000 students and 120,000 visits per year, the project aspires to be the largest art review in the world. Currently up to 7,000 flights have been booked, with more to follow. taidetestaajat.fi

JUHA KONTTINEN

Art appraisers en route

HELSINKI AIRPORT

Terminal 1 expands THANKS TO increasing passenger volumes at Helsinki Airport, seven departure gates are being built on the far end of Terminal 1. Gates 5–7 will be located on the first floor at aircraft parking level; while the waiting areas for gates 8–11 will be situated on the second floor with an elevator and stairs connection to the apron. The facilities will open in June 2019.

76 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

3 You can reach more than 140 destinations all over the world directly from Helsinki Airport.

Source: Finavia

LOMAHETKIÄ

SUOMALAISTEN KANSSA JO YLI 50 VUODEN AJAN

aurinkomatkat.fi

FINNAIR NEWS

DISCOVER FINLAND If you are interested in booking a flight and tour simultaneously, go to finnair.com/stopover. Finnair allows stopovers of up to five days.

COMPILED BY SHELLY NYQVIST AND AINO VÄHÄLÄ FINNAIR FINNAIR

EDITOR’S MESSAGE

New beginnings

WECHAT PARTNERSHIP

Another first for Finnair FINNAIR CUSTOMERS in China can now book flight tickets directly via its official WeChat account, becoming the first European airline to do so. In addition, WeChat Pay may be used as payment method for tickets booked via the account.

TWEET OF THE MONTH

Hello Japan! #A350Finnair with Kivet #livery flew to Tokyo this week. The crew is wearing yukatas with the same print. twitter.com/Finnair

Customers can use the platform for the whole booking process, from searching for the flight tickets to completing the purchase. Earlier this year Finnair opened a Chinese customer service chat on its WeChat account.

FEELFINNAIR ON INSTAGRAM

Oh, what amazing office views our pilot @valtterimurto and his colleagues have! instagram.com/feelfinnair

78 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

FINNAIR ON YOUTUBE

You know how mysterious it is that Santa can get to every house and home around the world in just 24 hours? youtube.com/finnair

This issue of Blue Wings is the last of its breed. We have been working on a re-design concept and the first magazine with its fresh look and feel will be published in January.

We will also say goodbye to one of our most-read columnists, Alexander Stubb, as we welcome a new roster of guest writers. I would like to take this opportunity to express my warmest thanks to him for his always insightful and popular columns. At the same time, I welcome our new monthly columnists, who you will become familiar with in the upcoming issues.

And while the new print magazine takes off in January, we will also see a Blue Wings website born. I hope all of our cherished readers will keep enjoying the great stories, whether onboard a Finnair aircraft or online.

Wishing you an inspiring journey and happy holidays!

Arja Suominen Editor-in-Chief

FLY FINNAIR

Your complete guide to travelling with us

WELCOME ABOARD We want you to enjoy your flight. This guide contains all the information you need for stress-free travelling. We have even included tips for inflight wellbeing and entertainment.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy your travel experience.

In this guide 80 81 82 83 84 86 88 92 94 98

TIPS FOR TAKEOFF INFLIGHT WELLBEING ENTERTAINMENT SHOPPING SUSTAINABILITY HELSINKI AIRPORT

MAPS FLEET AND MY FINNAIR FINNAIR PLUS

FINLAND IN FIGURES

DECEMBER 2017

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FLY FINNAIR TIPS FOR TAKEOFF

FINNAIR in a nutshell

Established in 1923, Finnair is one of the world’s oldest airlines.

Finnair’s route network includes 17 destinations in Asia, 4 in North America, and some 74 in Europe.

In 2016 Finnair carried more than 10.8 million passengers.

More than 1.6 million passengers fly between Asia and Helsinki each year.

TRAVEL TIPS RIINA HYÖKY Head of Travel Retail Sales “It’s that time of year – the holiday season is upon us yet again!

If you want to make things less stressful, consider shopping for your gifts onboard your Finnair flight. I personally love the Balmuir Fairmont scarves and the leather accessories. I could easily surprise my husband with a Daniel Wellington watch (hopefully he won’t read this).

Or if you are looking for something ­traditionally Finnish, then you might like the funky Myssy organic wool hats. These classic beanies are knitted by local grannies in Pöytyä, Finland.

And if you pre-order in advance of your fl ­ ights flown in December, your will receive 20% off your purchase. On page 83, you can check out some of our new Travel Retail products. Happy holidays!”

SAFETY

YOUR FAVOURITE TRAVEL APP DOWNLOAD FINNAIR’S app on your mobile and enjoy an even smoother travel experience. Check in, get flight alerts, and store your boarding passes all in one place. As a Finnair Plus member, you can view your profile and points balance, and even purchase services such as extra bags or an Economy Comfort seat.

You can access the app with your Finnair Plus member ID or by using your booking reference number and surname. Learn more at finnair.com.

80 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

FLIGHT MODE: CABIN SAFETY SAFETY INFORMATION is presented by the cabin crew at the start of each flight.

This information is also listed on the safety instruction card in your seat pocket.

Safety belts must remain fastened when the “Fasten safety belt” sign is on.

For safety reasons we recommend keeping them fastened even when the sign has been switched off.

Handheld devices can be used throughout the flight (including takeoff and landing) in airplane mode. Laptops and larger devices must be stowed away during takeoff and landing, but can be used when the “Fasten safety belt” sign has been switched off.

FLY FINNAIR INFLIGHT WELLBEING

FOOD AND DRINK

EAT WELL

Business class passengers on ­ long-haul flights can enjoy Signature Menus prepared by chefs from top restaurants.

The menus offer passengers a taste of Nordic flavours.

Foods to fuel on European flights FANCY A SNACK ON BOARD? Then take a look at the Sky Bistro menu card in your seat pocket. For a small fee, you can choose from a tasty ­selection of food and ­beverage options combining the best of Europe and Asia. Coffee, tea, water, and Finnair’s ­signature blueberry juice are always served free of charge on all Finnair flights.

WELLBEING

MINDFULNESS

INFLIGHT EXERCISES

Sit back and relax

These moves keep you fit while flying. Hold each movement for a few seconds and repeat five times per side.

Mindfulness instructor Aleksi Litovaara's exercises will help you feel calm and rested during your flight.

1

BE AWARE: The basic idea of mindfulness is that you have arrived. The aircraft is already taking you where you need to be so just sit back and relax. Watch, listen, and feel your present environment.

CIRCLES

LIFT

RAISE

LOWER

Lift one foot and draw circles with your toes.

Reverse direction.

Lift one knee up and then lower your foot back down to the floor.

Keep heels on the floor and lift your toes upwards, then release.

Keep toes on the floor and lift your heels upwards, then release.

2

TACKLE ANXIETY: If you experience nervousness or restlessness, try holding an object in your hand. It will help bring your attention to that simple physical sensation instead of getting caught up in your own thoughts.

3 SHRUG

NOD

ROTATE

TURN

Lift your shoulders up towards your ears and release.

Lower your chin slowly towards your chest and lift back up again.

Gently rotate your head from side to side. Keep your shoulders relaxed.

Slowly lower your left ear to your left shoulder and then back up again.

THINK POSITIVE: This is a good ­moment to choose nice words towards yourself and other passengers — if only in your mind. You can also ask yourself: what do I need right now? It may well be reading a book or getting some rest instead of working on your computer. aleksilitovaara.com

DECEMBER 2017

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81

FLY FINNAIR ENTERTAINMENT

BE ENTERTAINED AND CONNECTED Experience the Nordic Sky entertainment system and the Nordic Sky Wi-Fi portal on board Finnair A350 XWB aircraft.

THE NORDIC SKY inflight ­entertainment system is available on board Finnair A350 flights. Not only will you stay entertained with a wide range of movies and TV series, you can stay up to date on what’s happening during your flight, from when dinner is served to updated arrival information and the local weather.

With the Nordic Sky Wi-Fi portal, you can enjoy a host of fantastic services via your own mobile device. You can access finnair.com and Finnair services such as destination information, preorder shopping, and customer care chat.

Passengers can purchase Wi-Fi access for one hour (€7.95), three hours (€11.95), and full-flight 12 hours (€19.95). Business Class passengers and Finnair Plus Gold members get one-hour complimentary internet access and Finnair Plus Platinum members get full-flight complimentary access.

Here’s how to get started: Follow your 1. Turn your device flight with to flight mode and ­enable Wi-Fi real-time views 2. Join the Wi-Fi from the flight ­network Nordic cameras via Sky 3. Open the browser Nordic Sky. of your choice 4. Start exploring at nordic-sky.finnair.com

PICK OF THE MONTH Action

THE GLASS CASTLE. A young girl comes of age in a dysfunctional family of nonconformist nomads with an eccentric mother and an alcoholic father.

82 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

WHAT’S PLAYING

ON SCREEN Latest films and TV series

MOVIE VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS. Special operatives Valerian and Laureline must race to identify a marauding menace and safeguard a space city.

MOVIE HOME AGAIN. Single mom Alice lets three young men stay in her guest house, but the arrangement ends up unfolding in unexpected ways.

MOVIE LOGAN LUCKY. Jimmy leads his one-armed brother and hairdresser sister in an elaborate scheme to rob North Carolina’s Charlotte Motor Speedway.

TV SERIES BOB’S BURGERS. Bob Belcher, along with his wife and three children, run the family restaurant, Bob’s Burgers.

TV SERIES 2 BROKE GIRLS. Two young women waitressing at a diner strike up an u ­ nlikely friendship in the hopes of ­launching a successful business together.

CONNECT Wi-Fi is available on A350 and A330 aircraft. It takes about 30 seconds to connect to the internet during your flight. It’s that easy!

PLUG IN!

All Airbus A330 aircraft are equipped with electrical sockets, which you will find under your seat.

On the Airbus A350 aircraft, you will find a USB port located in the seatback monitor in Economy Class and directly from the seat in ­Business Class.

FLY FINNAIR INFLIGHT SHOPPING

NEW SELECTION FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON!

ALTIA WINE GALLERY SUOMI 100 Red, Champagne, or White, 0.75 l Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €12.90/€29/€12.90

Here are 13 reasons to get a head start on your holiday shopping.

P.S. You can use your Finnair Plus points to pay for your pre-order products and ­ on-board purchases.

MYSSYFARMI In the Woods wool hat Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €74

20% OFF when you pre-order GET 20% OFF when you pre-order before any Finnair flight flown in December! Finnair carries a wide selection of products including cosmetics, fragrances, gift items, confectionary, and jewellery. On most Intercontinental flights and flights to and from destinations outside the EU, wine and spirits are available for purchase. You also earn Finnair Plus points with every purchase.

AARIKKA JUHLAPÄSSI Ram figurine Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €169

AARIKKA FROSTY FUN SET Tree and Elf Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €49

AARIKKA ONNENENKELI Angel table decoration Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €25

finnairshop.com

MAKIA Weekend bag, black Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €107

ACQUA DI PARMA Blu Mediterraneo Edt, 75 ml Available in pre-order shopping catalogue €57

PRE-ORDER

via the Nordic Sky portal!

Ordering in advance is always a good idea.

And now you can shop via the Nordic Sky Wi-Fi portal. The pre-order webshop is always open on Wi-Fi connected Finnair flights. There’s no minimum order and your ­purchase will be waiting in your seat on your next flight!

DECEMBER 2017

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FLY FINNAIR SUSTAINABILITY

Tomas Whitehouse

ISTOCK

BETTER PLANET Finnair’s sustainability strategy is built on three principles: CLEANNESS Finnair has reduced its carbon dioxide emissions by more than 19 per cent per tonne-kilometre and is also working to systematically lower aircraft noise at airports and in the air.

One key way to reduce carbon emissions and noise is to fly with modern aircraft: the average age of Finnair’s fleet is less than 10 years. The airline has received 11 of 19 forthcoming Airbus A350 aircraft, which cut fuel consumption and emissions by 25 per cent over the previous generation of planes.

BOOKING FOR A CAUSE DURING the season of giving, the Click for Change initiative gives travellers an opportunity to pair a ticket purchase with a contribution towards educational efforts in Asia. When booking a flight with Finnair, customers can make a donation of five, ten, or 20 euros to UNICEF’s Schools for Asia programme.

The effort helps fund teaching and learning materials, inclusive curricula, and school facilities in 11 countries.

UNICEF in Finland celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Finnair has collaborated with the organisation since 1994, beginning with the long-running

Change for Good campaign that allowed travellers to donate spare change of any currency. Finnair has also participated in UNICEF’s research effort to assess how the travel industry impacts the lives of locals, particularly children, in Vietnam.

Since 2014, Click for Change has raised more than €118,000 from Finnair flights. Frequent flyers can also donate Finnair Plus points to Schools for Asia via the Finnair Shop. finnairshop.com schoolsforasia.org

BEST PRACTICES FINNAIR is signatory to the UN Global Compact, an initiative aiming to make ­human rights, fair labour standards, environmental responsibility, and anti-­ corruption core parts of the participating companies’ operations.

THE AIRLINE has been given “Prime” status with a score of B- by responsible investment rating agency OEKOM. Finnair has also consistently been the highestrated airline in CDP’s (Carbon Disclosure Project) review. In 2016, Finnair’s score was A-.

FINNAIR is a member of the Climate Leadership Council, an initiative bringing together leading Finnish businesses to combat climate change and foster business eco-technologies.

84 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

Finnair was one of the first airlines to receive an IATA Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) certification; this environmental management system is a set of processes and practices that help airlines reduce their environmental impacts and increase operating efficiency.

Finnair invests in the development of alternative fuels (it operated its first commercial biofuel flight in 2011). It also supports the International Air Transport ­Association’s (IATA) goal of carbon-neutral growth from 2020, and cutting airline emissions in half by 2050.

CARE Wellbeing and inclusivity are promoted at the workplace through training opportunities, an annual survey, and other programmes.

Finnair is part of the Commitment to Sustainable Development, an initiative supporting the UN’s Agenda 2030. It invites Finnish organisations to make pledges towards a carbon-neutral society, sustainable work and lifestyle, and more. Finnair’s focus is on promoting equality, nondiscrimination, and diversity at the workplace and with stakeholders.

COLLABORATION Engaging in an open dialogue with industry stakeholders, environmental organisations, and other partners is key to Finnair’s corporate responsibility plan.

Finnair Plus members can make point donations via the Finnair Shop to The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, Crisis Management Initiative (CMI), The Association of Friends of the University Children’s ­Hospitals, The Cancer Society of Finland, The Finnish Red Cross, UNICEF Finland, Hope, and UN Women.

FLY FINNAIR HELSINKI AIRPORT

HAPPY LANDINGS

Arriving and departing at Helsinki Airport Helsinki Airport

HELSINKI AIRPORT has 35 automatPASSENGERS at Helsinki Airport ed border for travellers can usecontrol the 30 gates automated border flying to/from destinations control gates.

Fifteen of outside these of theare Schengen of these locatedarea. in theFifteen departure arehall. located the departure hall. In Thein Finnish Border Guard’s addition, 15 automated borderhelps conautomated border control trolserve gatesgrowing are located in the upstairs passenger volumes arrival hall while another five are at Helsinki Airport. available the Japanese, downstairsand arrival EU,inEEA, Swiss hallnationals (for EU/EEA/CH citizens passonly). with biometric Passengers from the EU, EEA, CH, ports can take advantage of the Japan, and South Korea with biometautomated border control gates. ric passports can nationals, take advantage of Other foreign who are theexempt automated control gates fromborder the visa requirement upon arrival departure.

Austraand hold aand biometric passport, lian,may Canadian, ealand, and also useNew the ­Zautomated U.S.border citizens with biometric passports control upon departure. mayThis alsoservice use theis automated border available for control upon departure All Australian, Canadian,only.

Japanese, other nationalities are obliged use New Zealand, South Korean,toand theU.S. manual (manned) border control citizens.

The automated booths located in the departureby and border control is monitored arrival halls.guard Registration in secure advance a border ensuring is not required. border crossings.

Please notenote thatthat passengers travPlease passengers elling with infants, baggage travelling with an infant, trolleys, baggage or wheelchairs must use must the manual trolley or wheelchair use the border control lane.control lane. manual border

AUTOMATED BORDER CONTROL Place your passport with the info page face down on the reader. Please wait while your passport is being read for biographical and biometric data. When the scan is complete, the gate will open. ヘルシンキ・ヴァンター空港シェンゲンエリアで は、入出国審査の際に自動化ゲートをご利用頂けま す。対象となるのはICパスポートをお持ちのお客様 です。

대한민국 전자여권을 소지한 승객께서는 유럽에서 한국으로 입국 시, 헬싱키 공항에서 자동출국심사 서비스를 이용 하실 수 있습니다.

① パスポートの顔写真ページを読み取ります。該当 ページを読み取り機の上に置いて下さい。個人情報 と生体認証データを読み取ります。

우선, 전자여권의 사진 페이지를 인식장치에 올려주시기를 바랍니다. 이 과정에서 여권정보가 시스템에 자동 인식됩니다.

② ゲートが開いたら中に入り、右を向いて下さい。 パスポートの顔写真と照合します。バックパック・ 帽子・眼鏡などは外して下さい。足跡マークの上に 立って画面を正面からまっすぐに見て下さい。 ③ 二番目のゲートが開いたら、入国審査官のカウン ターにお進み下さい。パスポートを確認した後、入 国または出国スタンプを押印致します。シェンゲン エリア居住許可証をお持ちの方は、入国審査官にご 提示下さい。

finnair.com/jp

첫 번째 게이트가 열리면 안으로 들어가 오른쪽에 위치한 카메라로 안면인증을 거치게 됩니다. 이후 마지막 게이트에서 출입국관리 직원의 출국확인도장을 받으시면 됩니다. 보다 간편하고 빠른 본 자동시스템의 많은 이용 바랍니다. 대한민국 전자여권은?

2008년 8월 25일 이후 발급된 여권으로 표지 하단부에 전자칩과 안테나가 내장 되어 있는 여권입니다.

finnair.com/kr

Enter through the gate and turn right. Please remove your backpack if you’re wearing one and stand on the footprints on the floor. Remove your your glasses andStand hat. Stand stilllook and directly look directly glasses and hat. still and at at screen, keeping your visible. thethe screen keeping your faceface visible.

TheThe camera camera will compare your facialwith image the will compare your facial image thewith biometbiometric scanned from your passport. ric featurefeature scanned from your passport.

Wait Wait the second opens. until until the second gate gate opens.

The border check for EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals is completed when the gate opens. Other foreign nationals must move towards the border guard, who will check your entry stamp and mark your passport with an exit stamp.

DECEMBER 2016 2017 NOVEMBER

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FLY FINNAIR HELSINKI AIRPORT

WELCOME TO HELSINKI AIRPORT 34 HOW TO TRANSFER Check your gate and departure time on the airport monitors. All Finnair and Nordic Regional Airlines (Norra) departures are located in the same terminal.

If you do not have a boarding pass for your connecting flight, please contact the transfer service desk.

Most passengers transferring from non-EU countries to EU countries must go through security and passport control. Please note that liquids are restricted in carry-on baggage.

If your baggage has not been checked through to your final destination, collect it from the baggage claim area, and go to check in and security control.

SHOP

BUS CONNECTION The Finnair City Bus to the Helsinki Railway Station leaves from Terminal 2 every 20 minutes, stopping also at Terminal 1.

Travel time is about 30 minutes.

Price: €6.30

86 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

31a-e 30

31x 31

Security control

SHOP

Border control

SHOP

SHOP

Bo con

2ND FLOOR

FINNAIR LOUNGE FINNAIR PREMIUM LOUNGE

BUS GATES 50 A–M

BUS GATES 51 A–D

52

NONSCHENGEN AREA

FLIGHT DISRUPTIONS In case a flight is delayed or cancelled, Finnair will make every effort to keep you updated. Please make sure that you have provided Finnair with your email address and phone number.

2ND FLOOR 53 GROUND FLOOR

SHOP

54

SOUTH PIER GATES 54–55

SERVICES AND FACILITIES SHOP SHOPPING Receive special offers for airport services when you show your Finnair Plus card. You will recognise our partners by the Finnair Plus symbol. Helsinki Airport features more than 30 shops and boutiques and various restaurants, and cafés.

WIRELESS INTERNET Helsinki Airport offers free Wi-Fi throughout the airport.

TRAIN CONNECTION The Ring Rail Line connects Helsinki Airport to downtown Helsinki. There is direct access from the corridor b ­ etween T1 and T2 terminals to the train station by two lifts and three escalators.

CHECKING IN Checking in to your Finnair flight is easy. You can save time by checking in at a self-service kiosk at the airport, online 36 hours before departure, or by text message. For flights to the U.S., online check in opens 24 hours before departure.

32a

TRANSFER SERVICE 3

AUTOMATED BORDER CHECKS are available to passengers with biometric passports. The service is available for ­Australian, Canadian, EEA, EU, Japanese, ­New ­Zealand, South Korean, Swiss, and U.S. citizens. See more ­information on page 85.

FINNAIR TRANSFER SERVICE desks in Helsinki Airport T2 ­terminal are ready to help you with any inquiries related to your connection flights.

32

NON-SCHENGEN AREA

Border control

TRANSFER SERVICE

33

CHILDREN Children’s playrooms offer videos, microwave ovens, and baby care facilities.

55

NON-SMOKING Smoking at Helsinki Airport is prohibited outside of designated smoking rooms.

SHOP

FLY FINNAIR HELSINKI AIRPORT WALKING TIME GATE 24–30: 7 MIN

T2 29

28

LOST AND FOUND Restaurant & Deli Fly Inn

27

26 SHOP

SCHENGEN AREA

SHOP

SHOP

GATE AREA

Security check

24

25 TRANSFER SERVICE 2

SHOP

23 SHOP

FINNAIR LOUNGE

Security

order ntrol

CHECK-IN 240–270

P

SHOP

SHOP

FINNAIR check CHECK IN/ SERVICE DESKS 201–229

22

GROCERY

21

INQUIRIES Lentäjäntie 1 (next to T2, street level) Open Mon–Fri 9 am–5 pm and Sat 9 am–3 pm. Tel 0600 41006 (€1.97/min + local network charge)

3RD FLOOR

PHARMACY TOURIST INFO

SH

OP

20

1ST FLOOR

SHOP

19 18 17 16

TRANSFER SERVICE 1

15

CHECK IN 101–114

GROUND FLOOR

T1

14

Security check

BAGGAGE STORAGE

13 DROP-IN LOUNGE ACCESS As a Finnair customer, you can unwind in a Finnair Lounge for a reduced price (€39) when your flight departs during off-peak hours. To get the discount, your flight must leave between 7:30 am–3 pm or 6:45 pm–midnight (non-Schengenarea), or between 10 am–3 pm or 7 pm– midnight (Schengen-area). The service is available 3 hours prior to your actual departure time. An off-peak lounge pass can be purchased from finnair.com via Manage Booking.

GATE AREA

2ND FLOOR

12

11

SHOP

1ST FLOOR DECEMBER 2017

BLUE WINGS

87

FLY FINNAIR FLIGHTS WITHIN EUROPE KARTAT Great Circle Estimated FROM HELSINKI AMSTERDAM ALANYA/GAZIPASA ALICANTE ARRECIFE ATHENS BARCELONA BERGEN BERLIN BIARRITZ BILLUND BRUSSELS BUDAPEST CATANIA CHANIA COPENHAGEN CORFU DALAMAN DUBLIN DUBROVNIK DÜSSELDORF EDINBURGH EILAT EKATERINBURG FRANKFURT FUERTEVENTURA FUNCHAL GDANSK GENEVA GOTHENBURG HAMBURG HERAKLION IBIZA INNSBRUCK KAZAN KOS KRAKOW LAS PALMAS LISBON LJUBLJANA LONDON MADRID MALAGA MALTA MANCHESTER MENORCA MILAN MINSK MOSCOW MUNICH MYTILENE NAPLES NICE OSLO PALMA DE MALLORCA PAPHOS PARIS PISA PRAGUE

Distances km

1525 02:35 2722 03:45 3034 04:25 4518 05:55 2490 03:40 2632 03:55 1112 03:30 1123 02:00 2581 03:45 1060 01:50 1651 02:40 1481 02:20 2636 03:45 2756 03:50 895 01:40 2329 03:25 2639 03:40 2030 03:10 2027 03:00 1512 02:25 1717 02:40 3457 04:45 2098 03:05 1543 02:35 4578 06:05 4310 05:45 768 02:00 1994 03:00 785 01:25 1172 02:00 2777 03:55 2897 04:00 1701 02:35 1521 02:30 2620 03:45 1186 02:00 4700 06:10 3369 04:50 1713 02:40 1863 03:10 2950 04:25 3357 04:35 2822 04:15 1817 03:00 2688 04:05 1953 03:05 740 01:25 876 01:40 1577 02:30 1471 03:35 2283 03:25 2202 03:25 766 01:30 2777 04:00 2898 04:00 1900 03:05 2093 03:20 1322 02:10

TÄHÄN KARTTA

WINTER 2017: FINNAIR ADDS FLIGHTS TO POPULAR WINTER DESTINATIONS IN LAPLAND, INCLUDING NEW NON-STOP FLIGHTS FROM LONDON, PARIS, AND ZÜRICH LONDON GATWICK – IVALO LONDON GATWICK – KITTILÄ PARIS – KITTILÄ ZÜRICH – KITTILÄ

Great Circle Estimated Distances Flight km Times

Flight Times

2 WEEKLY FLIGHTS 1 WEEKLY FLIGHT 1 WEEKLY FLIGHT 1 WEEKLY FLIGHT

8 2014 88BLUE BLUEWINGS WINGS DECEMBER DECEMBER 2017

PREVEZA PULA REYKJAVIK RHODES RIGA RIMINI ROME SALZBURG SAMARA SANTORINI SKIATHOS SPLIT STOCKHOLM ST. PETERSBURG STUTTGART TALLINN TARTU TEL AVIV TENERIFE NORTE TENERIFE SUR VARNA VENICE VERONA VIENNA VILNIUS VISBY WARSAW ZAKYNTHOS ZÜRICH

2397 03:25 1865 02:55 2429 3:50 2668 03:45 382 00:55 1993 03:00 2235 03:25 1592 02:30 1698 02:35 2660 03:40 2353 03:30 1956 02:55 400 01:00 301 01:00 1637 02:45 101 00:30 245 00:50 3230 04:25 4691 06:10 4745 06:10 1911 02:55 1847 02:55 1903 02:55 1462 02:30 633 01:15 481 01:25 940 01:40 2526 03:55 1781 02:45

SCHEDULED DESTINATIONS LEISURE DESTINATIONS PARTNER-OPERATED CODE-SHARE OR MARKETING DESTINATIONS SEASONAL ROUTE EW SCHEDULED N SEASONAL ROUTE

NEW SCHEDULED DESTINATION IN 2017

Atl Oc antic ean

DOMESTIC FLIGHTS

New

quay

FROM HELSINKI IVALO JOENSUU JYVÄSKYLÄ KAJAANI MARIEHAMN KEMI/TORNIO KITTILÄ KOKKOLA/PIETARSAARI KUOPIO KUUSAMO OULU ROVANIEMI TAMPERE TURKU VAASA

931 01:35 360 01:00 235 00:50 464 01:20 282 00:55 609 01:35 823 01:25 391 01:10 335 01:00 667 01:15 514 01:05 697 01:20 143 00:35 150 00:35 348 00:55

Bay of B isca ya

Arct ic

Ocea n

FLY FINNAIR IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Nor weg ian S ea

Nort

h Sea

Heraklion

Medit erranea n Sea DECEMBER 2017

on

on-D

tov-

Ros

BLUE WINGS 89

rctic

Arctic Ocean

FLY FINNAIR FLIGHTS INTERCONTINENTAL Circle Estimated KARTAT Great Distances Flight FROM HELSINKI

km

GREENLAND

Times

BANGKOK 7912 09:45 BEIJING 6325 07:55 CHICAGO 7139 09:15 CHONGQING 6736 08:40 DELHI 5229 06:50 DUBAI 4537 05:55 FUKUOKA 8060 09:30 GOA 6328 8:50 GUANGZHOU 7693 09:30 HAVANA 8703 11:15 HÔ CHI MINH CITY (Saigon) 8510 10:50 HONG KONG 7821 09:35 KRABI 8350 10:20 MIAMI 8342 11:10 NAGOYA 7780 09:40 NANJING 7165 09:35 NEW YORK 6626 08:45 OSAKA 7751 09:30 PHUKET 8312 10:05

PUERTO VALLARTA 9960 12:30 PUERTO PLATA 8410 11:15 SAN FRANCISCO 8724 10:45 SEOUL 7050 08:40 SHANGHAI 7410 09:05 SINGAPORE 9272 11:30 TOKYO 7849 09:45 XIAN 6421 07:50

Atlantic Ocean

Havana Puerto Vallarta

FINNAIR PLUS members earn Plus points from travelling on any ­scheduled flight with a oneworld airline.

The oneworld alliance flies to more than 1,000 destinations.

Pacific Ocean

Ocea n Atlantic Ocean

South Sandwich Is

8 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2014

Arctic Ocean

FLY FINNAIR IMPORTANT INFORMATION

an

Agadir

Taiwan

Pacific Ocean

Indian Ocean

Good Hope

n

ch Is

DECEMBER 2014 BLUE WINGS 8

FLY FINNAIR FLEET

AIRBUS A350-900 Number 11 + 8 on order Seating capacity 297 Length 66.8 m Wingspan 64.75 m Cruising speed 903 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 13,000 m

AIRBUS A330-300 Number 8 Seating capacity 289/263 Length 63.6 m Wingspan 60.3 m Cruising speed 870 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 12,600 m

AIRBUS A321 (ER) Number 15 Seating capacity 196–209 Length 44.5 m Wingspan 34.1 m Cruising speed 840 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 11,900 m

AIRBUS A320 Number 10 Seating capacity 165 Length 37.6 m Wingspan 34.1 m Cruising speed 840 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 11,900 m

AIRBUS A319 Number 8 Seating capacity 138 Length 33.8 m Wingspan 34.1 m Cruising speed 840 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 11,900 m

EMBRAER 190 Operated by Norra Number 12 Seating capacity 100 Length 36.2 m Wingspan 28.7 m Cruising speed 850 km/h Maximum cruising altitude 12,300 m

92 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

FLY FINNAIR MY FINNAIR

MY FINNAIR EVERY SEAT HAS A STORY It’s the customers who make Finnair and that’s why we’ve dedicated this page to your travel stories.

#FEELFINNAIR Share your Finnair moments on I­nstagram using @feelfinnair.

And if you want to be featured use #feelfinnair.

MEET THE FREQUENT FLYER What is your all-time favourite ­destination? The Portuguese coastal town of Cascais, west of Lisbon.

Which Finnair Plus benefits do you use most? I take advantage of the Priority Security lanes.

What item(s) could you never ­travel without? A laptop for ­business and a book for leisure.

virpula Tomorrow I have day off and I hope we gonna catch more of these creatures. #visitlapland #feelfinnair

What has been your most ­memorable flight? New York – ­Helsinki in Business Class is always a pleasure.

Kai Vitikainen has been a Finnair Plus ­member for 20+ years.

Finnair Plus tier: Silver Avg. flights per year: 20-30 Next destination: Munich

What is the most impressive ­airport you have visited? I­ have to say that Madrid-Barajas Airport definitely has the best lounge! wolle1974A Stunning sunrise view before landing to Beijing, China. #aviation #airbus330 #finnair #feelfinnair

APP & AWAY

QUESTIONS? Twitter: @FinnairHelps Facebook: facebook.com/finnair Finnair chat: Live chat is available on weekdays from 7 am to 10 pm, on Saturdays from 9 am to 6 pm, and on Sundays from 10 am to 10 pm (Finnish time).

Find Finnair on WeChat! Scan and follow Finnair’s official WeChat account.

Finnair’s mobile app is now available to everyone who has a Finnair booking.

Log in with either your Finnair Plus member ID or your booking reference number and surname.

Go to finnair.com to learn more.

jyker77 Cats of Kos, Greece #cat #kitten #housecat #feliscatus #feelfinnair

DECEMBER 2017

BLUE WINGS

93

FINNAIR PLUS FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAM

JOIN NOW

A world of benefits for ­frequent flyers

THE FINNAIR PLUS PROGRAM allows you to earn both tier points and award points when travelling with Finnair or a ­oneworld airline and from ­services provided by Finnair Plus partners.

As a Finnair Plus member you get instant access to valuable benefits including:

· A head start on special flight sales · Exclusive member prices on offers · Earn and use points on Finnair, oneworld, and partner airline flights · Earn and use points on numerous worldwide partner services

RENEWED FINNAIR PLUS With our latest changes, it’s easier to reach tier ­membership. You can also enjoy simpler ways of ­earning and using points for Finnair flights.

Read more about the changes: finnair.com/plus

DID YOU KNOW? JOIN FOR FREE by filling in the Finnair Plus form attached to this magazine or online at finnair.com/plus

NEW WAYS TO USE POINTS AS A FINNAIR PLUS MEMBER you can

use your Finnair Plus award points for additional ­Finnair services such as seat selection, meals, and extra baggage payments online.

The number of points you pay depends on your flight and the chosen service.

You can pay for additional services at the time you book your reservation, or later through the ­Manage Booking tab. finnair.com/plus

94 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

FINNAIR PLUS FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAM

FINNAIR PLUS MEMBERSHIP

FINNAIR PLUS TIERS AND BENEFITS JUNIOR Children aged 2–17 can join the Finnair Plus Junior program. The points earned can be spent on award flights as well as for fun reward items.

BASIC · F lights awards · Additional

baggage charges with points · Extra

services for flights with points · Partner

service purchases with points · Waiting

list priority based on tier SILVER · One

extra bag (max. 23 kg) free of charge · F innair lounge access* · P riority Lane · 1 0% points bonus · 10%

discount on ­Finnair tax-free purchases outside of the EU * Chargeable

All tier benefits are valid on Finnair flights (AY operated and AY marketed)

GOLD · Special

baggage free of charge · T ravel class upgrades · F innair and oneworld Business Class and Frequent Flyer lounge access + 1 guest · P riority Lane · 1 5% points bonus · 10%

discount on Finnair tax-free purchases outside of the EU PLATINUM · G old card giveaway · Special

baggage free of charge · T ravel class upgrades · Travel

upgrades for family members · F innair and oneworld Business and First Class and Frequent Flyer lounge access + 1 guest · P riority Lane · Points

do not expire during tracking period · 2 5% points bonus · 10%

discount on Finnair tax-free purchases outside of the EU

Remember to keep your Finnair Plus card with you at all times to make sure you don’t miss out on opportunities to earn points!

EQUIVALENT ONEWORLD TIERS Finnair Plus oneworld Basic --Silver Ruby Gold Sapphire Platinum Emerald

DECEMBER 2017

BLUE WINGS

95

FINNAIR PLUS NEWS THIS MONTH

TIPS FROM FINNAIR’S CUSTOMER LOYALTY TEAM

MAKE YOUR ACCOUNT MORE SECURE You now have the option to protect your Finnair Plus account with two-factor authentication.

When enabled, this feature adds an extra layer of security and minimises the risk of fraud.

To set up two-factor authentication, go to the Advanced login tab on the Update Profile page and follow the instructions. For more information, go to finnair.com/plus.

PARTNER BENEFITS

Kirsi Koskinen Manager, Revenue and Partnerships 1. PLANNING a trip to ­Finnish Lapland? Enjoy great benefits from our partner hotels there.

2. TRAVELLING within ­Sweden? Use our partner airline BRA – you can earn and use Finnair Plus points on flights.

3. LOOKING for gift ideas for the holidays? Check out the Finnair Shop where you’ll find a new selection of products and award ­vouchers.

finnairshop.com

POINTS FROM PURCHASES

WELCOME TO OUR NEW PARTNER

EARN FINNAIR PLUS points from your daily purchases! Apply for the Finnair Plus Nordea Mastercard in Finland by 31.12.2017 and earn 5,000 extra award points. The campaign period runs until the end of 2017.

FINNAIR PLUS members can earn points when using WE+ services. In addition, Finnair Plus members get special benefits and offers! WE+ is a leading coworking space operator from China, with offices in 20 cities, including San Francisco, Helsinki, Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen.

finnairshop.com finnairshop.com

96 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

FINNAIR PLUS TOP PICKS THIS MONTH

USE YOUR POINTS WISELY FOR THIS SEASON’S BEST! NOW YOU CAN FIND Finnair gift cards, partner services, and award vouchers as well as Finnair Shop brands all under the same roof.

Simply log in using your frequent flyer number, place your order, and pay with Finnair Plus points, money, or a combination of both.

Shop for the always affordable 1,000 Point Special Offers and your Plus points can be worth hundreds of euros! finnairshop.com

TOP 5 PARTNER SERVICES THIS MONTH 1. FINNAIR TAX-FREE award voucher: from €33 + 3,000p 2. NESTE award voucher: from €39 + 4,000p 3. SOKOS HOTELS award voucher: from €49 + 3,000p 4. SOL LAUNDRY award voucher: from €30 + 3,300p 5. HALIPUU FINNAIR PLUS TREE: from €290 + 3,000p Gift vouchers can be redeemed with points or a combination of money and points.

1 ,000 POINTS SPECIAL OFFERS IITTALA ULTIMA THULE O.F. GLASS 20CL 2PCS + PITCHER 50CL €129.90 Member offer €95 + 1,000p

Two colour options BANG & OLUFSEN PLAY BEOPLAY H9 €499 Member offer €395 + 1,000p

SOREL CARIBOU SLIM WOMEN’S SHOE €139.90 Member offer €105 + 1,000p Two colour options

AARIKKA NIITTY/MINTTU JEWELLERY SET €78 Member offer €62 + 1,000p

DECEMBER 2017

BLUE WINGS

97

FINLAND IN FIGURES

ECONOMY According to Statistics Finland, nights spent by foreign tourists in Finland increased by 11.6 per cent in August 2017.

FINLAND

ECONOMIC STRUCTURE

IN FIGURES

Employed persons by industry, 3rd quarter 2017 (per cent of total)

AREA • 390,908 sq. kil­o­me­tres, of ­which 9% is fresh water; land area is 303,912 ­sq. kil­o­me­tres. There are 188,000 lakes. 7% of the l­and is ­utilised agricultural area. Forests (mainly pine, spruce, and birch) and other wooded land (e.g. alpine birch f­ orest) cover 76% of the land area.

GOVERNMENT • Sove­reign par­lia­men­tary re­pub­lic ­since 1917.

• The pres­i­dent is elect­ed eve­r y six years. The current president of Finland, Sauli Niinistö took office in March 2012. The 200 mem­bers of Par­lia­ment are elect­ed for fouryear terms.

• Finland has been a member of the European Union since January 1995.

ECONOMY • GDP 2016*: 216 billion euros, the annual change in volume 1.9% (*preliminary) •A nnual inflation rate as of October 2017: 0.5% •C urrency: Euro

Construction and energy 9%

Miscellaneous services

14%

34%

Manufacturing

15% 4% Agriculture

10%

15%

Financial and business services

Trade and hotel

Transport and communications

GDP

48%

Other manufactured goods

25%

Forest products

13%

Food prod. and textiles

13%

Nominal

Adjusted for Purchasing Power Standard

64,100 48,400 46,900 39,200 38,100 36,500 33,300* 29,100

43,400 36,500 36,100 31,700 35,800 31,500 30,300* 29,100

Foreign trade 2016 exports by products by activity: 51,780 MEUR (per cent of total) Forest industry products

21.9%

Chemical industry products

19.7%

Other industries

18.4%

Metals and metal products

14.4%

Machinery and equipment

13.4%

Electric and electronics industry products

12.2%

*preliminary

MONTHLY TEMPERATURES IN HELSINKI 2016

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Mean˚C -8.8 0.3 0.9 4.8 13.8 15.3 17.8 16.4 13.3 5.6 0.0 0.2 Max˚C 4.7 4.1 9.7 12.6 22.8 25.4 25.4 22.6 21.6 15.1 7.6 7.0 Min˚C -23.9 -8.9 -7.0 -1.1 4.5 6.2 11.3 8.9 5.6 -1.2 -10.4 -11.0

More information: finland.fi, goodnewsfromfinland.com, findicator.fi

98 BLUE WINGS DECEMBER 2017

Metal and engineering products

EXPORTS BY PRODUCTS

Gross domestic product per capita 2016 (EUR)

Norway Denmark Sweden Finland Germany UK France EU28

Manufacturing

Source: Statistics Finland

POPULATION • 5.5 mil­lion • Life ex­pec­tan­c y: men 78.4 and women 84.1 years • Av­er­age house­hold ­size: 2.0 persons • L anguages: 88% ­speak Finn­ish; 5.3% Swedish; 1.4% Russian • Religion: 72% Lu­ther­an; 1% Orthodox; 25% unaffiliated or unknown • 84% of the pop­u­la­tion aged 25 to 64 ­have com­plet­ed upper secondary or tertiary ed­u­ca­tion and 39% ­have uni­ver­sity or other tertiary qualifications.

Untamed Beauty

Icons Together Kalevala Jewelry’s Glimmer pendant and the Vitriini jewelry box from Iittala’s Finland 100 collection bring two Finnish design icons together in honor of Finland’s centenary.

This anniversary set comes in a sparkling new palette of silver and blue. Both products are produced in Finland and the set is available as a limited edition during 2017.

Rrp. 249 € Glimmer earrings rrp. 160 €

Space Silver Collection

Planetoid Valleys | Design Bjรถrn Weckstrรถm | Handmade in Helsinki

www.lapponia.com