The Finnish Aviation Union IAU's illegal walk-out affects Finnair flights today
The Finnish Aviation Union (IAU) has announced a walk-out in the ground operations atf Helsinki Airport. According to IAU's announcement, the illegal walk-out will take place today, Monday 2 December at 14:00 – 16:15 EET. Ground operations employees work, for example, in aircraft maintenance, catering, customer service tasks at Helsinki Airport and ground handling tasks in baggage loading.
If implemented on a large scale, this illegal walk-out will have a significant impact on Finnair's flights and cause flight delays and cancellations. Also flight catering, baggage and cargo loading and unloading will be impacted. It is possible that some of the operated flights cannot be loaded with meals or baggage.
"We are very sorry that the illegal walk-out is disrupting our customers' journeys. We aim to communicate directly with customers whose flights are affected, but unfortunately last-minute changes are also possible. We recommend that customers pack their most important items, such as medicines, in their carry-on baggage," says Jaakko Schildt, Chief Operating Officer at Finnair.
If a customer's flight is cancelled or they cannot make their connecting flight due to the walk-out, Finnair will arrange a new routing and if needed, accommodation for the customer.
According to the information Finnair has, the reason for the walk-out is a hearing with two Finnair employees on unauthorised disclosure of information.
Two Finnair employees have disclosed Finnair's internal and confidential information outside the company. No permission has been requested from Finnair for the disclosure of this information, nor have Finnair's data security guidelines been followed. The information disclosed does not include customer data.
Finnair launched an investigation into the course of events as soon as they became known and has offered the employees concerned the opportunity to be heard in accordance with normal process. Hearing the employee also ensures the legal protection of the person concerned. Finnair has also reported the incident to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom and the Data Protection Ombudsman in Finland.
"We consider the illegal walk-out and disruption of thousands of customers' journeys to be completely out of proportion and irresponsible while the investigation and hearing process is still ongoing," says Jaakko Schildt.
Finnair's stance towards inappropriate behaviour, violations and intentional misconduct is always the same regardless of a person's position or role at Finnair.
Further information:
Finnair Media Desk, +358 9 818 4020, comms(a)finnair.com
www.finnair.com, www.company.finnair.com
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Images: gallery.finnair.com
Finnair blog: www.bluewings.finnair.com
About Finnair
Finnair is a network airline, specialising in connecting passenger and cargo traffic between Asia, the Middle East, North America and Europe. Finnair is the only airline with year-round direct flights to Lapland. Customers have chosen Finnair as the Best Airline in Northern Europe in the Skytrax Awards for 14 times in a row. Finnair is a member of the oneworld alliance. Finnair Plc’s shares are quoted on the Nasdaq Helsinki stock exchange.