newstodate.aero

Jan 31, 2023 (newstodate): The closure of Russian airspace, forcing airlines to operate longer routes between Europe and Asia, has put strong pressure on Finnair that earlier relied heavily on its Asian traffic.
   The new normal has called for new thinking - and the carrier has now modified ten of its 17 Airbus 350 aircraft to carry more customers and cargo as it continues to increase capacity across the Asian routes.
   The modifications involve changes and updates to the aircraft’s software and placards and manuals in cooperation with Airbus, translating into a higher take-off weight to enhance the profitability of the longer routes not least to Seoul and Tokyo.
   In addition, the weight and balance data for the modified aircraft have been updated, the noise certificates of the aircraft have been renewed, and the aircraft maintenance program and life limits of the main landing gear parts have been updated.
   Designed for an MTOW at 268 tonnes, five of Finnair's Airbus A350 are now certified to 275 tonnes MTOW, and another five up to 280 tonnes MTOW, allowing the aircraft to carry more passengers and cargo as well as more fuel to operate the longer distance, increasing the economic efficiency of each flight.  
   The modifications form part of Finnair’s strategy to restore profitability and increase payloads, in spite of airspace closures and increased flight times.
   The modifications were completed during the two first weeks in January, and operation with the new maximum take-off weight began on 18 January 17, 2023.