Finnair addresses the excess carry-on baggage issue with the new Superlight ticket type and changes to baggage allowances

We made changes to our ticket types and baggage allowances on 1 June 2023. Superlight ticket is a new option for journeys within Europe, replacing Economy Light. If you purchased your ticket before 1 June, you travel with your original ticket and baggage allowance included in it. However, if you make changes to your travel dates, the new baggage rules apply.

“The target of the changes we are now making is smoother boarding, on-time departures, and travel comfort onboard our flights for everyone. Excess carry-on baggage on board is a known issue, impacting both punctuality as well as travel comfort, and we are also getting regular feedback on this from our customers and personnel,” says Valtteri Helve, Head of Product Offering at Finnair.

“To support smooth boarding and on-time departures, we are also enhancing the monitoring of carry-on baggage at airports. Excess carry-on baggage, including excessively large carry-on bags, will be moved to the cargo hold at a cost,” he adds. “I encourage everyone to check what the baggage allowance of your ticket is – it is less expensive to buy extra baggage as a travel extra beforehand than at the airport.”

The Light ticket – with a small bag and a carry-on bag included – continues to be available for long-haul journeys as well as for Business Class on European flights. Classic and Flex tickets are available for both long-haul and short-haul journeys in all travel classes.

“Our different ticket types come with different flexibility for reservation changes and services included. Classic is the most popular ticket type and includes a small bag, a carry-on bag, and a checked bag, together with the possibility of travel date changes. Superlight and Light are for travelling light and affordably on a set schedule. Flex is the most flexible ticket type and includes a small bag, a carry-on bag, and a checked baggage, flexibility for reservation changes, and you can select standard and preferred seats complimentarily. You can always further tailor your trip with our travel extras,” says Valtteri Helve.  

This is what changed for tickets purchased as of 1 June 2023:

• The Superlight ticket replaced Economy Light on journeys within Europe. This applies to tickets purchased as of 1 June. The Superlight ticket includes one small bag (40cm x 30cm x 15cm) that is placed under the seat and nothing extra. You can purchase a bigger carry-on bag (55cm x 40cm x 23cm) as a travel extra. Pre-paid carry-on bag charge is €9 for flights within Finland, Scandinavia and the Baltics, and €14 within the rest of Europe.
• There were changes in the baggage allowance for Business Class travellers. All Business Class tickets include one small bag and one carry-on bag that can weigh up to 12kg together. On European flights, Business Classic and Flex tickets also include one checked bag. On our long-haul flights, the Business Class Classic and Flex tickets purchased between 1 June and 10 December 2023 include one checked bag, and the tickets purchased on or after 11 December 2023 include two checked bags.
• All special baggage, such as golf bags or skis, is to be purchased as travel extra. This means that you can have only standard-size and -weight bags as part of your checked baggage allowance. If you booked your ticket before 1 June, you can carry sports equipment, like skis and golf bags, as part of the baggage allowance included in your ticket.

In connection with the overall baggage allowance changes, there have also been some changes to the baggage-related Finnair Plus tier benefits.

We have also made changes to our seat selection practices. With a Superlight, Light, or Classic ticket, you can choose your preferred seat by purchasing it in advance, and if you do not wish to do that, we will choose a seat for you. This means that complimentary seat selection is not available during check-in for these tickets as of 1 June, regardless of the ticket purchase date. Finnair Plus members continue to have their current tier-based advance seat reservation benefit.

The changes that came into force as of 1 June also support Finnair’s strategy implementation through more effective operations, punctual departures at airports, and developing the offering of travel extras. 

Do you want to know more about the changes? Below you’ll find questions and answers.

What is the new Superlight ticket, and how does it differ from Economy Light?

The Superlight ticket replaced the Economy Light ticket on Finnair journeys within Europe. This applies to new tickets purchased on or after 1 June 2023. The Superlight ticket includes one small bag that is placed under the seat (40cm x 30cm x 15cm) and nothing extra. You can purchase a bigger carry-on bag (55cm x 40cm x 23cm) as a travel extra when travelling with the Superlight ticket. Finnair Plus Silver, Gold, Platinum and Platinum Lumo members have this bigger carry-on bag as a tier benefit when travelling with the Superlight ticket.

The Light ticket, which includes a small bag and a carry-on bag, continues to be available for long-haul journeys and for Business Class journeys within Europe. This also means that when your European flight is connected to a long-haul flight, your journey is considered a long-haul journey, and therefore Light ticket is also available for the European leg of the journey.

How can I compare different ticket options?  

Which ticket you should choose depends on your needs. Different ticket types come with different flexibility for reservation changes and services included.  

After purchasing your ticket, you’ll see the services included in it in Manage booking and Finnair app – and you can always further tailor your experience with our travel extras.

What is the Business Class baggage allowance?

When travelling in Business Class, you can bring one carry-on bag (55cm x 40cm x 23cm) and a small bag (40cm x 30cm x 15cm) weighing a maximum of 12kg together.

On European flights, Business Class Classic and Flex tickets include one checked bag weighing a maximum of 23kg. This same applies to long-haul Classic and Flex tickets purchased between 1 June and 10 December 2023. The long-haul Business Class Classic and Flex tickets purchased on or after 11 December 2023 include two checked bags, a maximum of 32kg each.

You can check the baggage allowance included in your ticket on Manage booking or in the Finnair app. You can buy extra checked bags as a travel extra. All special baggage, such as golf bags and skis, are available only as travel extras.

What are the size and weight limits for checked baggage?

The maximum measurements for a standard-size checked bag are 90cm x 75cm x 45cm, and the maximum weight is 23kg. For long-haul Business Class, the maximum weight is 32kg when you have purchased your ticket before 1 June 2023 or on or after 11 December 2023.

Can you explain what kind of carry-on baggage different tickets include?

Superlight ticket includes only one small bag (40cm x 30cm x 15cm) that is placed under the seat and nothing extra. You can purchase a bigger carry-on bag (55cm x 40cm x 23cm) for your Superlight ticket as a travel extra. Finnair Plus Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Platinum Lumo members travelling with the Superlight have a carry-on bag as a tier benefit.

All other tickets include one carry-on bag and a small bag that is placed under the seat. For Economy and Premium Economy travellers, these can weigh a maximum of 8kg together. For Business Class travellers, the combined allowed weight is 12kg. 

Where can I check my baggage allowance?

You can check the baggage allowance included in your ticket from your e-ticket, Finnair mobile app, or Manage booking service.

Where can I buy a carry-on bag as a travel extra?

We encourage you to purchase any travel extras in advance before you travel. You can purchase one carry-on bag as travel extra when booking your tickets or afterwards in Manage booking or via Finnair app. When purchasing a carry-on bag as a travel extra at the airport, the price is higher.

You can only buy a carry-on bag as travel extra when you have a Superlight ticket. Finnair Plus Silver, Gold, Platinum and Platinum Lumo members and oneworld Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald members can take one complimentary carry-on bag as a tier benefit and therefore can’t purchase additional carry-on bags as a travel extra.

Can I buy extra carry-on bags with other tickets?

You can buy a carry-on bag as travel extra only when you have a Superlight ticket. You can buy one carry-on bag for each flight. We need to limit the amount of carry-on baggage onboard, as the storage space tends to get very full.

How will you ensure people don’t bring oversized carry-on bags with them anymore?

Our ground crew at the airport check-in and gate areas monitor that the baggage allowance is followed. To support smooth boarding and on-time departures during the peak summer travel season, we have enhanced the monitoring of carry-on baggage at airports from May 2023. Excess carry-on baggage will be moved to the cargo hold at a cost.

How can I choose my preferred seat for my flight?

When you have a Superlight, Light or Classic ticket, you can choose your favourite seat for your flight by purchasing it in advance when buying a ticket or afterwards in Manage booking or Finnair app, or otherwise, let us choose a seat for you. This means complimentary seat selection is not available during check-in with these ticket types from 1 June 2023 regardless of the ticket purchase date. With Flex tickets, you can select standard and preferred seats complimentary also before check-in.

We do our best to offer seats next to each other to travellers on the same reservation, but this is not always possible. If you want to select your preferred seat or make sure that you are seated next to your travel companion, you can purchase a seat in advance. Our system assigns children under 12 to sit next to at least one adult on the same reservation. If the system fails to find seats for the children next to a familiar adult, we will fix it in customer service or at the airport.

What if I purchased my ticket before 1 June?

The Superlight ticket has been available since 1 June 2023. If you have an Economy Light ticket for a European flight purchased by 31 May 2023, you will travel with your original ticket and services included in it.

The updated services included in the different ticket types are valid for tickets purchased from 1 June 2023 onwards. If you bought your ticket before 1 June 2023, your ticket includes the services that were valid at the time of the purchase, regardless of your travel dates. However, we have made some changes to our inflight services already as of 19 April 2023 on all flights.

Please note that complimentary seat selection has not been and is not a ticket benefit included in Superlight, Light or Classic tickets, and therefore complimentary seat selection is not available for Superlight, Light and Classic tickets from 1 June 2023 regardless of the ticket purchase date.

Do medical devices, pushchairs, or airport purchases have to fit into the carry-on baggage allowance?

You can read more about carrying a medical device in your carry-on baggage.

In addition to the baggage included in the ticket type, the ticket for children and infants always includes a folding pushchair and a car seat, the care bag must fit in the carry-on baggage allowance.

Purchases made at the airport must fit in the baggage allowance included in your ticket.