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Finnair is the flag carrier of Finland starting operations in 1923, and has its headquarters on the grounds of Helsinki Airport. Finnair claims to be a “a network airline specialised in flying passengers and cargo between Asia and Europe.”
Finnair - a member of Oneworld, is the only airline in Northern Europe holding a 4-star Skytrax rating and offers flights to over 70 destinations within Europe, 17 to Asia, and 4 to the United States. They are the 6th oldest airline in the world that is still in operation, with a current fleet of 81 aircraft including 11 Airbus A350s. In 2007 their long-haul fleet modernisation was initiated by ordering several new Airbus A330 and A340 wide-body aircraft to replace the old MD-11 fleet.
Livery & Aircraft
In 1984, Finnair flew in the livery of Santa Claus, and the company would become “The Official Carrier of Santa Claus” four years later. This livery was painted to celebrate the spirit of Christmas, and will definitely catch your gaze with the iconic painting of Santa on the fuselage.
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 is a three engine, wide-body jet, distinctively with its third engine at the base of the vertical stabilizer. The MD-11 was produced between 1988-2000, and is still in service today, primarily as cargo aircraft. The first MD-11 delivered went to Finnair on December 7, 1990. This aircraft accomplished its first revenue service on December 20, 1990, between Helsinki and Tenerife.
As of 2015, Finnair painted one of its Airbus A321s with a special livery which you can see here, and track on Flight Radar 24 here. You can also check out Finnair & Santa’s secret video here.
Check out the Md-11/Dc-10 tracking thread here for the latest updates.
I think the Finnair Santa Claus livery would make a great addition to the MD-11, and would be great for flying around Northern Europe. I would love to hear your opinions, or ideas, and don’t forget to drop a vote, and comment below :)