The part-state ACMI provider Xfly announced that it is interested in taking over five routes within Finland from March 2021. These are being given up by Finnair. These are the following destinations from Helsinki: Joensuu, Jyväskylä, Kajaani, Kemi / Tornio, and Kokkola / Pietersaari.

These routes are currently not used by the Oneworld member. The reason for this is the corona pandemic. Finnair did not fly either, but used the ATR72-500 from wet lease partner Nordic Regional Airlines. However, the ideas of Xfly (formerly Regional Jet) should not be entirely self-serving, because the Finnish government promised subsidies for precisely these five domestic routes.

This goes hand in hand with the fact that the routes have to be advertised. All airlines that are based in the European Union and are interested can then submit their applications. The Finnish authority responsible for this will then award the contract. In theory, low costers could also apply. However, the duration of the PSO subsidy is limited until the end of 2021, so that the operation should then stand on its own two feet.

Xfly managing director Jan Palmer explained on Estonian television that in the event of a surcharge, the flight will be flown under its own flight number. This is a bit of a novelty, because apart from charter flights, the company has always used the two-letter code of partners in the past, such as Adria Airways or partner LOT. With ACMI orders you fly under the code of the respective client. The “Nordica” brand was buried last year.