Pilots strike shuts down Finnair

Finnair pilots represented by the Finnish Air Line Pilots' Assn. will strike for a second consecutive day today, forcing the airline to cancel its entire program of more than 200 scheduled flights.

AY said leisure flights operated by management pilots will continue "with the help of leasing arrangements" and that "individual changes" to the schedule "are possible." The strike, which also affected Finnair's Sunday schedule, will cost the airline €2-€5 million per day, according to various press reports.

Pilots rejected a settlement proposal last Friday, leaving Finnair "totally stunned," it said. Senior VP-Human Resources Anssi Komulainen said the airline would have accepted any of the three mediator proposals presented over the past 18 months. "Now we are forced to come up with totally new solutions in order to secure the future of the company," he said.

The union said, "The proposal by the state mediator allowed unlimited use of outside workforce, and did not offer pilots any work security. We cannot sign such a proposal."