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You are here: Home / Trips / ORD Autumn 2018 / Long Way Home – Two Hours and 20 in Helsinki Vantaa

Long Way Home – Two Hours and 20 in Helsinki Vantaa

13/12/2018 by Kevincm

Two Hours 20 in Helsinki Vantaa – Long Way Home

long way home cover image

In this adventure:

  • I’ve got to stop looking at odd routings and thinking they’re good ideas
  • Sleep? What’s that concept? Off to Heathrow T3
  • Lounging around Heathrow T3
  • AA99 London Heathrow to Chicago O’Hare
  • The Hyatt Regency O’Hare
  • The Nutella Cafe
  • Fooding Around Chicago
  • The Canon 100D – Good for aviation photography?
  • Camera shift – from EOS 6D to EOS R
  • Back to O’Hare, Air France Lounge
  • AY10 Chicago to Helsinki Vantaa… with Air Italy?
  • Two hours and 20 in Helsinki Vantaa
  • AY1335 Helsinki Vantaa to London Heathrow
  • Bussing back home
  • Long Way Home or short way back?

2 hours 20 in Helsinki

What was meant to be a 3 hour 20 layover was cut by an hour thanks to the delayed service out of O’Hare. So, whilst not appreciated – at least  I wouldn’t need to run to the plane (although I’ve done it in 20 minutes at this airport with time to spare)

Walking off the plane, I followed the signs. It seems that Finland was happy to see us – with no arrival or transfer security checks. A wonderful thing after a long flight.

an airplane on the tarmac
Finnair Airbus A330

a wall with many faces on it
It is art.

a group of people walking in a terminal
To the lounge complex

a large white sign with black text
At least they apologise.

This meant a short walk from Gate 52 to the Finnair Lounge complex. But not before I stopped to get one photo which says “Welcome to Helsinki Airport”

a group of stuffed animals in a boat

a large pile of stuffed animals
MOOMINS!!

What are Moomins? It’s a long and interesting Finnish story. I came to know of them via children’s television programme many years ago

With me capturing the picture I wanted I headed back to the Finnair Non-Schengen Lounge complex.

I was welcomed to the lounge and directed into the main lounge. Sadly, Finnair is in the process of rebuilding their Premium Lounge (which has the saunas and showers). As such – it was the ordinary lounge.

a sign in a room a bag on the floor
Oh dear…

And as much as I wanted a shower the thought of going all the way into Schengen, and into the Gate 22 lounge at the other end of the airport didn’t think bearing about with a reduced layover.

That being said – the ordinary lounge is rather nicely designed, with separate zones for rest, working, eating and so forth.

 

a room with chairs and tables

a room with a large ceiling and a group of people

a room with a few people

a group of chairs with lamps on them

a room with a large ceiling and people sitting at tables
From above…

a couches and tables in a room
Sofas

a bag in a room
Sleeping pods

a fireplace with a duck on it
Why there is a duck here… I do not know.

Whilst there wasn’t power at every seat, there was a lot dotted around – and also fitted with plugs with USB sockets to charge devices with.

a grey electrical outlet on a wall

I was a bit peckish coming off the plane, so I went to explore what they had in stock in the food department,

a tray of food on a counter

Whilst there was no hot selection, there was plenty of cold items, with salmon wraps, fresh prawns, curried vegetable wraps, salad options and so forth.

a food on a counter a bowl of food on a table a tray of food on a table bowls of food on a counter
Savory options

 

cookies in a glass container a plate of food on a table a wooden box of food
Sweet options

There was also alcoholic options, with a rather nice gin option…

a small sign on a standa hand holding a glass of liquid 

a group of bottles on a tray
Wine options

You’ll notice that most of the tableware and glasses are plastic. It seems with the refurbishment in progress, it’s time to throw away the metal, glass and ceramics whilst the work going on. Whilst Finnair can try to claim an eco-credential (with a lot of recycling going on), it didn’t feel like it was the best use of equipment.

And also soft options… Including an App-Controlled drink dispenser.

a tablet on a counter

I’m filing this under “yeahhhhh… right… “. Or as someone described it – a Nordic Solution.

I found a seat for a bit, and spent the time charging… the camera batteries. The new camera – the Canon EOS R is a hungry little beast on the power front, to put it bluntly.

The Wi-Fi was the main Helsinki Airport hotspot – and for an airport – it has very acceptable download and upload speeds.

The lounge has a shop too. With this wonderful model on display.

a toy airplane on a shelf
This model is missing more than a few bits and bobs

As for the lounge – yes, there was some sound from the works being carried out, and the service-ware was all disposable as opposed to the Marimekko tableware.

But the staff were on point, doing regular cleaning passes and ensuring the lounge was kept clean, tidy and… well. Nordic.

With my time coming to an end at the lounge, I needed to find out where my flight would be going from. Thankfully it would be going from Gate 50 – opposite the lounge. That didn’t stop me exiting the lounge, going down to Gate 34 before realising my mistake, and then tracking back to to the Gate 50 complex.

a group of people in an airport
To Gate 50!

a person standing in a hallway
Gate 50A-M.

Gate 50 Complex? One best think Gate A10 complex at Heathrow Terminal 5 – in other words, the bussing gate.

At least the Gate 50 Complex has a lot more space and a coffee bar to it. In other words a little more human.

a sign in a airport
Departure FIDS for the complex

a large building with a large mural on the wall
Boarding in progress

I hurried to the gate and my boarding pass was blipped so I could head aboard the rather full shuttle bus to the waiting Airbus A321.

Next: AY1335 Helsinki Vantaa to London Heathrow T3


Welcome to Economy Class and Beyond – Your no-nonsense guide to network news, honest reviews, with in-depth coverage, unique research as well as the humour and madness as I only know how to deliver.

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Filed Under: ORD Autumn 2018, Trip, Trip Reports, Trips

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