Finnair is unusual within the oneworld alliance in that it operates a first class-level lounge without offering first class onboard its flights and has thus created the lounge entirely for its top-tier Platinum and Platinum Lumo frequent flyers.
It’s called the Platinum Wing, it welcomes some 155 people across several distinct areas in the longhaul/non-Schengen area of the terminal, and I found it highly impressive on a recent Helsinki connection (full disclosure: the airline provided tickets to enable me to experience the product).
On entering, one is met with a striking rounded bar, with its high seats, signature light feature, focus on Finnish products and an impressive list of cocktails and mocktails — plus, of course, whatever you might like the bartender to whip up for you.
The signature bar bids you welcome to the lounge. Image: John Walton
I sampled a truly delicious mocktail version of the Bluesinki — blueberry juice, ginger beer, lime, and with Seedlip non-alcoholic spirits replacing the vodka — and it was delicious. The Joseph Perrier Champagne with which Finnair has had a lengthy relationship is also on offer in the lounge, in both the brut available in longhaul business and a very pleasant brut rosé.
I can highly recommend the Bluesinki, at least in its mocktail form. Image: John Walton
Moving to the right after the bar, you come to a series of greige high-walled pod chairs that are very comfortable, as well as some more traditionally shaped armchairs in a deep blue.
To the right of the bar is the first seating area. Image: John Walton
Beyond this is the dining area, which features a buffet with Nordic tapas (or “napas”) grab-and-go options, a couple of warmed choices, a section with some light salads, and an on-demand menu.
I really like the “napa”, Nordic tapas — these are delicious little mouthfuls. Image: John Walton
The signature on-demand item is the reindeer-and-beef burger, which I tried and which was exceedingly good.
The reindeer burger was great — a real taste of Finland. Image: John Walton
The lingonberry mess was also scrumptious, a fresh and balanced sort of granola parfait with the signature Nordic lingonberries.
This is a well balanced and tasty dessert. Image: John Walton
My favourite seating section lies beyond the dining area, past a floor-to-ceiling deep blue curtain that’s one of those lounge ideas that feels so obvious yet incredibly rare.
It seems odd to extol the virtues of this curtain, but it’s impressive to see textiles used to such great effect in a lounge. Image: John Walton
This space has a variety of comfortable sofas and armchairs in grey and blue, as well as a set of those wonderful Finnish design classics, the Womb Chair by Eero Saarinen (he of the TWA Flight Center and Washington Dulles Airport Terminal fame, among many other masterpieces).
They had me at “Eero Saarinen Womb Chair”. Image: John Walton
It’s also the only area with a view outside, if only between two bits of mirrored glass terminal. This light (as well as the light coming in through the next section we’ll visit) is one of the real benefits of the Platinum Wing compared with the longhaul/non-Schengen business class lounge that it supplements: the other lounge is an interior space within the terminal, and the light quality in the Platinum Wing is a real upgrade.
The view from the lounge isn’t amazing, but the light is very welcome. Image: John Walton
Returning to the main area as if we had turned left from the bar, you’ll find a relatively quiet section of low, squashy armchairs with power-supplied coffee tables next to them. These sit next to frosted windows, and the golden-straw light filtering through them was truly a delight in the 3-4pm hour in Finnish autumn.
The small area to the left of the bar is also a lovely space. Image: John Walton
Uniquely, the lounge has a sauna, mixed genders, and I’m told by a Finnish pal that the löyly (sauna steam) is very good. There’s also a small relaxation area with a welcome bucket of iced soft drinks — the Finnish cultural experience of a saunaolut post-sauna beer both with and without alcohol are available to take with you into the relaxation area from the bar. This area also has shower rooms, bookable via a tablet embedded into the wall outside each one.
Airport sauna? Yes please! Image: John Walton
What I found unusual compared with the other lounges — both the shorthaul Schengen business class lounge and the longhaul/non-Schengen business class lounge — was Finnair’s concentration on offering seating for a bar-restaurant-lounge sort of space rather than one focussed on work.
The tower of fruit, dessert and snacks is welcome if you’re in more of a grazing mood. Image: John Walton
The lounge did not hit the holy grail lounge trifecta of a comfortable seat, a table or moveable surface sufficient for a laptop/tablet plus a plate or glass, and power sockets.
This separated area was my favourite in the lounge — and it’s here that you get closest to my lounge holy grail trifecta. Image: John Walton
To be clear, there are many, many power sockets in this lounge, but what’s missing is the ability to sit down, grab something refreshing, pull out your device, top up its charge (not least since Finnair’s shorthaul aircraft don’t have AC or even USB power), and then either watch something, pull down some content for the plane (Finnair’s onboard video library being very much affected by its current round of cost discipline as a result of the Russia overflight bans) or just send a few emails.
Is it the Qantas First Class Lounge in Sydney or Melbourne, or the Cathay Wing or Pier?
No, it’s something much more calm and understated in a very Finnish way.
Here in the Platinum Lounge, the attention (and money) has gone not into expansive views or “wow walls”, but into a thoughtfully curated experience, and a space that has been extensively acoustically engineered to be quiet even while busy, cosy even while spacious, and to really give a sense of who and what Finnair is.
The kitchen here is open and welcoming, and you can make yourself a hearty meal if you’re hungry. Image: John Walton
Finnair provided flights for John Walton to try out its onboard and airport product, but as ever his opinions are independent and entirely his own.
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Featured image of Finnair Platinum Wing credited to John Walton
