Runway: the Finnair blog

Last week, the aggressive swine flu virus began spreading from Mexico, and airports around the world took immediate action. At Finnair, a task force began operations, ready to respond according to instructions given by authorities.

Finnair is on constant stand by for any irregularity, as air traffic is operated globally, 24 hours a day.

Finnair’s traffic nerve center is the Network Control Center, which makes decisions, coordinates activities and maintains direct contact with our aircraft at all times. In addition, Finnair can put together a special irregularity task force at short notice, with members that literally have their bags packed, ready to go at any time.

Regardless of the situation, the airline is always ready. As the variety of possible irregularities is wide, the task force is assembled according to the specific requirements of each circumstance, using the corporation’s best experts as well as outside contacts. Airlines play in an international field, thus Finnair operates in close cooperation with the oneworld alliance. Many situations concern all international airlines, and problems are therefore handled together. Even airlines that are fierce commercial competitors, share information and work together in a crisis.

As information on swine flu began to go out, airports started taking precautions to prevent the disease from spreading. Asian airports began measuring passengers’ body temperature, a procedure made familiar during the SARS epidemic. Health forms are required to be filled out by passengers and crew at several airports. Finnair has received forms to be given out to passengers. We receive updates on new precautions in different countries all the time, and pass this information on to our customers on the relevant flights.

Finnair is well prepared for infection outbreaks, as our aircraft are equipped with infection kits and protective face masks. Instructions on what to do when suspecting a contagious disease in-flight are devised in cooperation with the authorities.

As the information on the outbreak of swine flu reached Finnair, an irregularity task force consisting of medical and safety experts was immediately assembled to evaluate the situation, and put on stand by, ready to act with the authorities if needed.

So far, the task force has convened on a daily basis, updated instructions to personnel, and followed any developments closely. As far as communications is concerned, situations like these are coordinated mainly by health authorities. In Finland, the swine flu outbreak is monitored by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, and the National Institute for Health and Welfare.

At the Finnair hub Helsinki-Vantaa airport, Finavia offers information leaflets providing information on preventing the risk of contamination, and on precautions to take when traveling, on brochure stands in the terminals, at information counters and transfer desks.

The International Air Transport Association IATA gives frequent updates on instructions to airlines and an excellent information source on the situation is the World Health Organisation, WHO’s web pages.

Co-operation is extensive, international, and fast. Any budding irregularities are investigated thoroughly at Finnair, and treated with utmost concern until we have received enough information to draw conclusions. This is something our customers can rely on.