36 Finnair pilots on long haul flights will take unpaid leave
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On April 29, 2025, according to Aviation2z, Finnair announced plans to take unpaid leave for 36 pilots, just after Qantas decided to reduce its wet lease partnership by half.
The core of this dispute lies in the controversial salary negotiations, where Finnair pilots refused to accept the new work rules and implemented overtime bans, disrupting flight schedules.
Qantas and Finnair signed a wet lease agreement in 2023 to operate routes from Sydney to Singapore and Bangkok using Finnair's two A330 aircraft. Qantas provides flight attendants, while Finnair provides pilots. The Finnish airline pilots' union continues to protest, including refusing to carry out standby missions, resulting in pilots being unable to arrive in Bangkok and Singapore on time, leading to flight scheduling issues. These interruptions directly affected Qantas' operations, prompting the airline to narrow its cooperation scope to only one aircraft until the remaining term of the contract ends.
Earlier this year, Finnair warned that if an agreement cannot be reached with pilots, Qantas may completely terminate the wet lease agreement, potentially cutting 90 pilot positions. Although Qantas has not completely cancelled the arrangement, its decision to downsize is a significant blow to Finnair's operational strategy.