Helsinki, Finland: Finnair, the national carrier of Finland, has temporarily grounded eight of its A321 aircraft after discovering that their seat covers were not cleaned according to fire safety standards, the airline confirmed in an official statement.
The issue arose when the seat upholstery manufacturer notified Finnair that the “water washing” method used during cleaning had not been properly verified for fire protection compliance. As a result, the airline suspended operations of part of its A320 fleet to conduct necessary safety checks and adjustments.
Between October 13 and 21, the disruption has already impacted more than 10,000 passengers, leading to delays, schedule changes, and flight cancellations.
“Keeping our passengers safe is our top priority,” the airline said. “All corrective measures are being taken in accordance with aircraft manufacturer and government safety guidelines.”
To minimize cancellations, Finnair has adjusted its daily aircraft assignments and arranged for some flights to be operated by its partner airline, DAT LT of Lithuania, from October 15. However, the partnership has led to occasional overbookings.
Passengers affected by cancellations or overbookings will be notified via text message or email, and the airline urged customers to keep their contact details updated in the Finnair app’s “Manage Booking” section.
Finnair also assured travelers that if a connecting flight is missed due to these disruptions, the airline will rebook passengers on the next available flight and send updated travel details once confirmed.
Apologizing for the inconvenience, Finnair reiterated its commitment to passenger safety and operational transparency.
Meanwhile, Citizens’ Advice noted that affected passengers could be eligible for up to £520 in compensation under EU air passenger rights — applicable to flights delayed by more than three hours or canceled due to airline-related issues. However, compensation does not apply to delays caused by extraordinary circumstances, such as adverse weather conditions.
