At a time when global routes were affected because of the US-Iran conflict, a recent trip to Geneva to report from Watches and Wonders 2026 could not have come at a trickier time.
Flying through the Middle East region would have been a challenge. Amid all that, I found a reliable solution with Finnair.
I’ll be honest: I had never flown Finnair before and hadn’t been to Europe for more than three years. My expectations were mixed and slightly muted, but there was a sense of curiosity to try an airline I had heard a lot about.
My trip from Delhi to Helsinki and then finally Geneva was a first experience of the airline’s Premium Economy class, which was introduced in 2022. Finnair's Premium Economy is incredibly comfortable and an interesting intersection or choice between Economy and Business Class. The seats are in a 2-4-2 configuration.
Available on A350 and A330 aircraft, Finnair's Premium Economy offers around 50 per cent more space than its Economy class. There are wider seats, extended leg rests and adjustable headrests, all styled with Nordic-inspired Marimekko textiles. The cabin is intimate (21–26 seats), features a Red Dot award-winning entertainment system and includes two meal services on Iittala Kuulas crockery with complimentary beverages throughout the flight.
One of the coolest things in the Premium Economy seat was the option to connect my own Bluetooth headphones to the in-flight entertainment system. I am not a fan of over the ear headphones–they can be particularly taxing over long flights.
It was on my flight to Helsinki and then Geneva that I first got the taste of the famous Finnair blueberry juice. It was the right amount of sweet and that feeling of melting blueberries in your mouth is hard to replicate. Finnair introduced blueberry juice as its signature drink in 2014. Since then, according to a post on the airline’s website in 2025, nearly one million litres of blueberry juice have been served on their flights every year. It’s so good that travellers still post about it on Reddit. One user remonstrated recently that “I need that blueberry goodness back in my life.”
The goodness doesn’t end there. On my way back from Geneva, I had a layover at Vaanta Airport in Finland. It was long enough for me to get an experience of Finnair’s Business Class Lounge at Vaanta. In a nutshell, it is an ideal spot to unwind after a long queue at immigration and ahead of a long flight.
The Finnair Business Class Lounge and Platinum Wing in the non-Schengen area is a quiet oasis. You have everything from private showers to discreet benches and seats to rest and work. Assortment of beverages and an interesting food menu featuring local produce as well. There’s so much to enjoy here.
After polishing a plate of pasta and salad, I sat down with a mango chocolate mousse cake, a glass of Sandels beer (another discovery courtesy of Finnair’s in-flight beverage menu) and a taste of Kyro malt rye whisky (another Finnish specialty) from the lounge’s fully stacked bar.
It was now time for my flight back to India via Finnair's long-haul Business Class. The Business Class features the AirLounge seat—a curved, fixed-shell design that offers multiple sitting positions including lie-flat, giving each passenger a private, comfortable space.
The cabin gets a further elevated look with Marimekko textiles, Iittala Kuulas tableware and a Nordic-inspired menu featuring two starters, a three-option main course, cheese, and dessert paired with award-winning wines. An 18-inch redesigned entertainment system with wireless charging and USB-C connectivity rounds out the experience.
The one thing you can’t miss on any business class flight is their meal service. Since the flight was destined for New Delhi, there was a lovely touch of Indian-ness to the menu, as I settled for the chicken in biryani sauce, basmati rice, fried eggplant, tomatoes and onions. Before the main course, I found another exquisite Finnish beer with Maku Brewing’s Chinook IPA.
The meal ended on a brilliant and sweet note as I paired a blackcurrant posset with vanilla crème and blueberries with a dessert wine, a classic Sauvingon Blanc from 2018–a rich and concentrated port wine. As I finished watching Civil War, I realised I was in a calm corner of my own. Even small bouts of turbulence felt like minor bumps as I converted my seat into a comfy bed for the night.
I slowly slipped into a slumber for the remainder of my journey and realised I wasn’t woken up for the morning service before we landed in New Delhi. It was a reassuring move by the Finnair in-flight crew. They did, however, leave a couple of Karlfazer chocolates next to my utility space as a sweet gesture. As with everything, it’s the small details that matter.
For a traveller navigating a world in constant flux, Finnair turned out to be an unexpected and hidden gem.