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Helsinki–Melbourne via Bangkok: what travel agents need to know

Finnair’s new route to Melbourne operates via Bangkok with a technical stop. This guide covers what agents need to know when booking and managing journeys between Helsinki and Melbourne.

The Helsinki–Melbourne service is considered a direct flight, operated with the same aircraft under the same flight number throughout the journey. 

From Helsinki, the flight departs shortly after midnight, stops in Bangkok in the afternoon and arrives in Melbourne the following morning. On the return journey, it departs Melbourne in the afternoon and stops in Bangkok in the evening. It arrives in Helsinki early the following morning, in time to connect with Finnair's morning departures across Europe.

Technical stop in Bangkok

All customers travelling between Helsinki and Melbourne must leave the aircraft in Bangkok. They take all carry-on baggage and personal belongings with them and go through security before returning to the departure gate. The authorities require this additional security screening before departure to Melbourne.

Transfer customers board the aircraft together with customers starting their journey in Bangkok.

Check-in and boarding passes

Customers receive a separate boarding pass for each sector. Check-in options differ by direction:

• Helsinki to Melbourne: customers can check in online, through the Finnair app or at the airport. Self-service Bag Drop is available at Helsinki Airport.
• Melbourne to Helsinki: customers can check in online, through the Finnair app or at the airport. Check-in kiosks and self-service Bag Drop are not available for Finnair flights departing from Melbourne.

Ancillary services and seats

Ancillary services are booked for the entire direction, that is HEL–BKK–MEL or MEL–BKK–HEL. One EMD is issued per bound instead of per sector.

For seat reservations, the same seat is assigned on both sectors.

Lounge access in Bangkok

Eligible transit customers on HEL–BKK–MEL or MEL–BKK–HEL receive two boarding passes. The lounge invitation appears on the boarding pass for the first sector, that is HEL–BKK or MEL–BKK.

To enter the lounge in Bangkok, transit customers show both boarding passes: the first one with the lounge invitation and the one for the onward flight.

Special assistance, minors and pets

Special assistance

Standard booking procedures apply to all special assistance services. Assistance is booked for the customer's applicable journey, for example HEL–MEL or HEL–BKK.

Unaccompanied minors

Unaccompanied minors (UMNR) cannot be accepted as a through journey between Helsinki and Melbourne via Bangkok, in either direction. The UMNR transit service is not available at Bangkok Airport.

The service is possible only separately on the HEL–BKK and BKK–MEL sectors, and the other way round. In that case, the guardian arranges for a person to meet the child on arrival in Bangkok, stay overnight with them and escort them on the onward journey the following day.

Pets and service dogs

Pets are not accepted between Helsinki and Melbourne, either in the cabin or in the aircraft hold. Pet in cabin (PETC) and animal in hold (AVIH) can be booked between Helsinki and Bangkok only.

Assistance and service dogs (SVAN) are accepted to and from Melbourne. Customers must make sure they meet Australia's entry requirements before they travel.

Flight disruptions and further information

If a flight is disrupted, the standard Finnair disruption policies and booking handling procedures apply.

For customer-facing information, see the Melbourne route FAQ on Finnair.com. To read more about how the route is planned and flown, see the Blue Wings article.