NEW AIR ROUTE TO JAPAN FLIES
21st December 2019
Last modified on September 8th, 2021
Finnair has just started flying direct from Helsinki to Sapporo and has announced it will be year-round not just for winter.
Sapporo is now the fifth Japanese destination served by Finnair and is the only European airline to fly there.
The first plane flew last week.
“This new direct route will save UK skiers and snowboarders at least two hours travel time and put the skids under competitor airlines,” said a statement from the airline.
Currently those wishing to visit Hokkaido usually fly via Tokyo for up to 12 hours and then catch another one and a half hour flight to Sapporo.
15 hours in total.
The change is done in Japan after a long flight with jet leg playing its part in the transfer.
The new Finnair flight from London via Helsinki will only take around 13 hours.
The change is done in Europe at the beginning of the journey when people feel fresher.
The twice-weekly flight from Helsinki will depart on Thursdays and Sundays arriving straight into Sapporo at 9am on Fridays and Mondays.
Regular readers will know PlanetSKI was in Hokkaido in autumn this year:
HOW:
Finnair flies from London Heathrow, Manchester, Dublin and Edinburgh to Sapporo, via Helsinki with fares from £600 in Economy Class and £2,800 in Business Class return.
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