Finnair's new Schengen Lounge at Helsinki Airport: review

Recently they are departed from Helsinki e I had a chance to try out Finnair's new Schengen lounge., Room that took the place of the existing lounge.

The old lounge was beautiful, but intricate and especially unable to accommodate transit peaks, it was often difficult to find a place to sit. Now the problem should be solved since the area has more than doubled and the capacity is more than 400 people, the style is the same as that found In the NON-Schengen lounges near gate 52.

Location

It is located in the opposite corner from where the old hall was located, and the directions are clear, but to simplify hunting just follow the signs and head for Gate 21.

Access

I had a flight out to Los Angeles, but first I decided to make a stop to see this new lounge. Access is granted to business class passengers and those with status in the oneWolrd loyalty program. Then in the old lounge there were two tables dedicated to Lumo passengers, i.e., the highest step of the Finnish airline's frequent flyer; here, however, there is an area with a separate entrance.

To gain access to the Platinum corner, as is the case in the non-Schengen hall, one must have status with Finnair or be Emerald with oneWorld.

The only flaw in the reception area is that the tail with the F drawn on it was not recycled.

The hall

As soon as you enter you recognize that you are "on board" Finnair, the colors are those of business class on AY's long-haul fleet. Past the reception desk, on the right is the area with lockers to leave your belongings safe, on the left are the iconic seats that are just reminiscent of the "not" seat on the Scandinavian carrier's Airbuses.

Going straight ahead you enter directly into the buffet section of the lounge. The environment is warm, welcoming, relaxed.

The view of the runway was there in the old lounge and here there is even more because being much more spacious you get the impression that the walls are grnadier and there is much more light. One of the prerequisites for a perfect lounge, as I always say, is just the windows that give views and illuminate the rooms with natural light.

Then to make everything even brighter, there are clear wood furnishings, such as classic Ikea furniture.

One can sit in front of the window, on the sofas, or in the armchairs. You will always have an outlet available and a beautiful view where you can get lost admiring takeoffs and landings.

There are restrooms and showers in the center of the lounge, but as we continue our inspection, we come to the business area of the lounge, the one furthest from the buffet. There's a battery of booths where we can isolate ourselves to work, perfect for making calls without heckling neighbors or having neighbors waving behind our backs at our callers.

Then there are couches in an area with dimmer lights, perfect for those who want to take a nap without being disturbed by the noise of dishes and dishes.

Food & Beverage

I stopped by the lounge around 9:30 a.m. and breakfast was still being served, the menu changes at 10:30 a.m. early by Italian standards, not by Finnish standards. There is a well-organized buffet with sweet and savory, hot and cold offerings.

Scattered around the lounge of are then a couple of islands dedicated to hot drinks, all with automatic machines.

In conclusion

I liked the old lounge, I had given an 8. This one eliminates the flaws, retains the merits and improves the aesthetics so it deserves the same rating.

The verdict

Definitely better suited to handle all the passengers departing from this airport, certainly the old one had its own soul and some goodies that are missing here such as the ovetto seats. The view of the runway is really nice, the decor puts you at ease.

7.5

Rated Location

7.5

F&B

7

Services

7.5

Pro

• The view
• The space

Against

• Less original than the old