Finnair to return all A321 aircraft to service by end of October

 

Finnair has announced that all eight of its Airbus A321 aircraft grounded earlier this month will return to service by the end of October, following the replacement of around 1,700 seat covers that required additional fire protection verification.

The airline temporarily suspended operations of the affected aircraft on 13 October, after being informed by the manufacturer of the original seat covers that the impact of washing on fire protection had not been verified according to required standards.

Gradual return to service

According to Finnair, six of the aircraft are expected to resume flights within a week, while all eight will be fully operational by the end of the month. The airline began installing new seat covers sourced from multiple suppliers, with the first aircraft already back in service.

The seat covers were produced by a long-term Finnair partner based on specifications from the original seat manufacturer. Washing of seat covers – typically done every two years – follows standard industry procedures, and Finnair confirmed that the rest of its fleet remains unaffected.

Operational impact

The temporary grounding resulted in approximately 70 flight cancellations since 13 October, affecting the travel plans of about 11,000 passengers.

Pekka Korhonen, Senior Vice President of Technical Operations at Finnair, said the decision to suspend operations was based on safety considerations: “We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption this has caused to our customers. The safe operation of our flights is the foundation of everything we do. Once we received information that the impact of washing on the fire protection of the seat covers had not been verified in the required manner, it was clear that the aircraft had to remain on the ground until the issue was resolved.”

Temporary measures and customer support

To maintain schedule continuity, Finnair has leased two aircraft with crew to operate parts of its network. However, the airline cautioned that some flight cancellations or overbookings may still occur until the entire A321 fleet returns to service. Finnair will contact affected passengers directly regarding any changes to flight schedules or operating airlines.

Safety-first approach amid operational disruption

For aviation professionals, Finnair’s rapid response demonstrates the operational and safety management challenges airlines face when supplier verification issues arise. The carrier’s decision to ground aircraft voluntarily underscores its commitment to safety compliance, even at the cost of short-term network disruption.

With the replacement process nearly complete, Finnair expects to restore its full A321 operational capacity by the end of October 2025, ensuring schedule stability ahead of the winter travel season.

Tags: Pekka Korhonen,  Finnair, Airbus