About this flight
I flew from Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport, the capital of Finland, to Stockholm Arlanda International Airport, the capital of Sweden, in Scandinavian Airlines Economy Class. Scandinavian Airlines is a joint airline operated by the three Nordic countries: Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.
Although I was flying in Economy Class, I was able to access the Scandinavian Airlines lounge at Helsinki Airport thanks to my frequent flyer status. At the lounge, I enjoyed local Finnish specialties like meatballs and carrot sticks, accompanied by sparkling wine and red wine.
I also found it interesting that near the boarding gates at Helsinki Airport, there was a specialty shop for sparkling wine, as well as a standing wine bar run by the same shop offering wine and snacks.
Currently undergoing restructuring, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS/SK) announced on October 3, 2023, that it would withdraw from the Star Alliance and join the SkyTeam alliance.
Scandinavian Airlines was one of the five founding members of Star Alliance when it was established on May 14, 1997. The founding members included Air Canada (ACA/AC), Lufthansa (DLH/LH), Thai Airways (THA/TG), and United Airlines (UAL/UA), and this will be the first withdrawal among the founding airlines.
Going forward, Scandinavian Airlines aims to form partnerships with Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.
Table of Contents
Helsinki Airport
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Arriving at the Departure Airport Station
I arrived at the underground train station of Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport by train from Helsinki Central Station.
From the Train Station to the Airport Terminal
From the underground train station, I took the escalator up to the airport terminal.
Departure Lobby of Terminal 1
This is the second floor of Terminal 1 at Helsinki International Airport. You can see the departure information board.
Check-in Counters
These are the check-in counters. This particular one belongs to Finnair, Finland’s national carrier.
Scandinavian Airlines Check-in Counter
This is the check-in counter for Scandinavian Airlines.
Priority Lane for Border Control
This sign indicates the priority lane for passport control, available to Gold members and Business Class passengers.
Lounge
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Entrance to the Scandinavian Airlines Lounge
This is the entrance to the Scandinavian Airlines Lounge.
Buffet Counter
Here is the buffet area with food and drinks.
Inside the Lounge
A view of the interior of the lounge.
Salad Vegetable Section
This appears to be the vegetable section for making salads. Items included:
- • Mini hamburgers, broccoli and red cabbage, lettuce
- • Cherry tomatoes, possibly tofu, carrot sticks
Lounge Table Area
Another view of the lounge interior from a different angle.
First Plate of Food
Here's what I had to eat first.
- Items on the plate:
- • Carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes
- • Bread, lihapullat (Finnish-style meatballs), sliced cheese
- • Tomato soup with mushrooms
Second Plate of Food
After finishing the first plate, I went back for more.
- Additional items:
- • Lihapullat (Finnish meatballs), raisins
- • Cookies, bread
- Drinks (in the background): Red wine, sparkling wine
- Center: Diet Coke
View from the Lounge
This is the view outside from the lounge. At the time, it looked like the terminal drop-off area was under construction — probably a new road was being built. In the background, you can also see office buildings of Finnair.
To the Boarding Gate
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Finnair Lounge
This is the entrance to Finnair's lounge, which I didn't have access to this time. Since this is Finnair’s home base lounge, I imagine it must be quite nice.
Sparkling Wine Bar
This appears to be a bar specializing in sparkling wine. The display reads, “Bubbles for Everyone.” It was located near the departure gates.
The sign on the left says, “Breakfast with sparkling wine from €9.90, every day from 5 AM to 10 AM.” Sounds great—definitely a sign you can’t ignore.
Standing Wine Bar
This standing bar is operated by the sparkling wine specialty store mentioned earlier.
It’s nice to have a place like this near the boarding gate. In addition to sparkling wine, they also offer red and white wines.
Bar Snacks
This standing bar also serves bar snacks (tapas).
Shopping Area
This is the shopping area near the boarding gates.
Finnair Boarding Information Display
This is a boarding information screen for Finnair’s flight to Málaga, located in southern Spain.
View from the Departure Lobby
This is the view from inside the departure lobby. A Finnair aircraft was parked outside.
It was raining at that time.
Seats with Charging Ports
The word “POWER” is written on the board behind the seat backs. These are seats with charging capabilities inside the boarding gate area.
View from the Airport Window
This is a view of the outside taken from the departure lobby.
You can also spot a Japanese company’s signboard on the right-hand side.
Flight
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Boarding Gate to Stockholm
This is the boarding gate for the flight to Stockholm Arlanda International Airport.
Aircraft
This is the aircraft we'll be boarding today. The flight time from Helsinki to Stockholm is about one hour.
View from the Window
This is the view from the airplane window—flying above the clouds.
Stockholm
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Arrival in Stockholm
We have arrived at the airport in Stockholm.
Heading to Baggage Claim
Walking towards the baggage claim area.
Baggage Claim Area
This is the baggage carousel where checked luggage is retrieved.
Train Information to Stockholm
This is a promotional digital sign for the Arlanda Express located inside the baggage claim area. The Arlanda Express is an airport express train that connects Stockholm Arlanda International Airport with Stockholm Central Station in just 20 minutes.
The display shows that the next train is scheduled to depart in 13 minutes, along with the departure times of subsequent trains. It’s very easy to understand.
Stockholm Central Station
We’ve arrived at Stockholm Central Station.
