FINNAIR is planning to operate a series of charter flights between Helsinki and Langkawi during the upcoming Northern winter season.

The carrier – which does not run scheduled services to Malaysia –will operate a weekly Helsinki-Langkawi charter service starting December 16, using an Airbus A330 aircraft configured in a single-class 330-seat layout.

A total of 13 flights will take place, potentially bringing up to 4,290 visitors to Langkawi.

Finnair’s sales director – South-east Asia, Petteri Kostermaa, said: “Finnair regularly leases aircraft from other carriers due to high seasonal demand for charter flights from Nordic countries to Asian and other leisure destinations. Our own fleet is in full use in our scheduled route network.”

He added: “We expect most (Langkawi-bound) passengers to come from Finland, but there will be some from other Scandinavian countries and Baltic States as well.”

Finnair operates regular leisure flight services to various Asian destinations including Colombo, Goa, Ho Chi Minh City, Krabi and Phuket.