Finnair to drop second economy meal service on Dubai and New York routes

For travelers who have gotten used to being served two meals on board when travelling with Finnair between Dubai and New York, the airline has some disappointing news. Starting soon, Finnair will drop its second economy meal service, limiting passengers to one meal per flight.

1. Finnair Slashes Economy Menu, Saying Goodbye to Second Meal Options

Finnair recently announced that it will no longer be offering a second meal option in economy class on its European flights. The change will affect flights under four hours.

The decision to remove the second meal option came as no surprise to passengers, who have noticed Finnair cutting back on in-flight food for some time. The airline has told customers through a statement that it wants to provide a simpler, quicker experience for its customers, allowing them to enjoy their journey more.

The new menu lineup offers one main course, as well as sandwiches and other snacks, depending on the flight time. For those needing more substantial meals, Finnair also provides various premium upgrades, such as:

• Business Class
• Economy Comfort
• Special Meal

In order to accommodate those in cabin classes that still offer a second meal option, Finnair is expanding its premium food options for them, making sure that their experience is as comfortable as possible.

Though the removal of the second meal may be met with disappointment, Finnair is still promising to maintain the same high quality of its meals. Passengers can look forward to a variety of meal options as they continue to fly Finnair.

2. Cost-Saving Measures for Flights to Dubai and New York

Traversing through the world comes with a cost, be it a rail journey, voyage on a ship, or flight. However, a number of cost-saving measures exist to help penurious travelers traverse the skies without breaking their bank balance. Here are a few money-saving tips for flights to Dubai and New York.

• Book Early: Advance-booking ensures significantly lower fares. Website-based booking engines compare airfares from various airlines so travelers can pick the best deal available. Airlines also offer discounts and special offers on flight-bookings.
• Travel Light: Baggage fee is usually charged every time a passenger checks in a piece of luggage. Avoid checking-in bags by carrying only essentials as cabin-baggage. Also, an increasing number of airlines do not impose fees if only a single piece of small luggage is checked-in.

Knowing the priority window can make a huge difference to your spending. Make an effort to be flexible with your travel arrangements, as flights during weekdays tend to be cheaper than those during the weekends. Furthermore, it pays to book non-refundable tickets that come with hefty discounts, yet restrict travelers from changing their plans.

3. Farewell to Second Service, Airlines’ Fare Struggles Continue

Airline travelers have long known that services come with a steep cost attached, but few realize that it’s been hard to meet increased demand without increasing fares over the last few years. Airlines have had to take drastic steps like Second Service, a second flight offered on the same route but at a higher price to make up for the additional costs incurred by overbooking. Unfortunately, the move backfired as the demand for such services waned and the financial burden soared.

What was once hailed as an innovative solution to the industry-wide dilemma has now bowed out of the competition, leaving other airlines to pick up the slack. Airlines are likely to rely more heavily on creative solutions like dynamic ticket pricing, airline alliance partnerships and efficient plane scheduling to meet the continuing demand for affordable services.

• Dynamic Ticket Pricing: Airlines use sophisticated algorithms to adjust ticket prices based on demand and availability
• Airline Alliance Partnerships: Airlines join forces to provide flights to a greater variety of destinations
• Efficient Plane Scheduling: Airlines plan carefully to ensure planes remain full by planning fewer but more profitable flights

4. Will Other Airlines Follow Suit?

Whether other airlines will follow suit with Qatar Airways and make the economy class meals free is hard to predict. One thing is for sure: the move is something passengers have been demanding for years. It is expected that Qatar Airways’ move could give rise to a trend of other airlines also starting to offer complimentary meals in their economy classes.

• Passengers are more likely to choose an airline that offers better quality food for free.
• As passengers demand better standards, other airlines might look to match Qatar Airways efforts.
• Lower cost airlines may have to improve their services to compete with Qatar Airways.

An overwhelming majority of airline passengers polled have reported they would consider switching to an airline offering better quality, free food. The standard of food service available on flights is already relatively low and as such, it won’t be hard for other airlines to improve on this and offer free meals. There is no doubt that in the near future, other airlines could potentially start offering free economy meals, as customers demand a higher level of service. With Finnair’s decision to discontinue its second Economy meal service on Dubai and New York routes, frequent fliers may need to rethink their in-flight dining strategy. But no matter what your plans entail, one thing remains certain – flying with Finnair offers a comfortable, stress-free journey, wherever you’re headed.