Late on 28 January 2026, the Finnish news agency AKM reported that the Finnish Industrial Union (Teollisuusliitto) and the Air Line Pilots’ Association (SLL) have formally notified employers of eight coordinated one-day strikes to be held from 4 to 13 December. Finnair says the walkouts will force the cancellation of at least 300 flights—two-thirds of its winter schedule—affecting around 39,000 ticket-holders at the height of the pre-Christmas travel peak.
The dispute stems from stalled collective-bargaining talks in which unions are seeking a 10 % pay rise over two years to offset cost-of-living increases. Employers, represented by the Service Sector Association Palta, insist pay deals must reflect Finnair’s structural challenges since the closure of Russian airspace added hours and fuel costs to its Asian routes. Talks have been further complicated by a new Finnish law that limits political strikes to 24 hours and imposes fines of up to €150,000 for overtime bans, prompting unions to sequence multiple “legal” one-day stoppages instead of an open-ended walkout.
Amid such uncertainty, travelers who need to reroute through neighboring countries—or whose passports or visas are close to expiring—can streamline the paperwork through VisaHQ. The platform’s Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) offers quick visa checks, expedited renewals, and real-time status updates, allowing passengers and corporate mobility teams to adjust itineraries without additional administrative headaches.
![Eight one-day strikes planned in December threaten 39,000 more Finnair passengers]()
For mobility planners the timing is awkward: December is peak season for expatriate turnover, holiday travel and air-cargo demand for Finnish export industries. Travel-risk consultants recommend advance ticket re-issuing on partner carriers via Stockholm Arlanda or Copenhagen Kastrup, and advise employers to brief staff on EU passenger-rights entitlements (EU261) in case of disruption. Logistics managers handling just-in-time spare parts or temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals via Finnair Cargo should secure capacity on road-sea alternatives through Tallinn or utilise Norwegian and SAS belly-hold space.
The planned strikes also have wider political resonance. The centre-right government’s labour-market reforms, which tighten restrictions on industrial action, are being tested for the first time. A protracted showdown could set a precedent for wage negotiations across the tech and forestry sectors, both mainstays of Finland’s export economy and heavily reliant on global talent mobility.
While mediation is scheduled for early November, few observers expect a quick fix. Companies with year-end assignment moves or board meetings in Finland should keep contingency budgets for charter flights or virtual-meeting solutions and monitor further union notices, which must be filed at least two weeks before any additional action under Finnish law.
The dispute stems from stalled collective-bargaining talks in which unions are seeking a 10 % pay rise over two years to offset cost-of-living increases. Employers, represented by the Service Sector Association Palta, insist pay deals must reflect Finnair’s structural challenges since the closure of Russian airspace added hours and fuel costs to its Asian routes. Talks have been further complicated by a new Finnish law that limits political strikes to 24 hours and imposes fines of up to €150,000 for overtime bans, prompting unions to sequence multiple “legal” one-day stoppages instead of an open-ended walkout.
Amid such uncertainty, travelers who need to reroute through neighboring countries—or whose passports or visas are close to expiring—can streamline the paperwork through VisaHQ. The platform’s Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) offers quick visa checks, expedited renewals, and real-time status updates, allowing passengers and corporate mobility teams to adjust itineraries without additional administrative headaches.
For mobility planners the timing is awkward: December is peak season for expatriate turnover, holiday travel and air-cargo demand for Finnish export industries. Travel-risk consultants recommend advance ticket re-issuing on partner carriers via Stockholm Arlanda or Copenhagen Kastrup, and advise employers to brief staff on EU passenger-rights entitlements (EU261) in case of disruption. Logistics managers handling just-in-time spare parts or temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals via Finnair Cargo should secure capacity on road-sea alternatives through Tallinn or utilise Norwegian and SAS belly-hold space.
The planned strikes also have wider political resonance. The centre-right government’s labour-market reforms, which tighten restrictions on industrial action, are being tested for the first time. A protracted showdown could set a precedent for wage negotiations across the tech and forestry sectors, both mainstays of Finland’s export economy and heavily reliant on global talent mobility.
While mediation is scheduled for early November, few observers expect a quick fix. Companies with year-end assignment moves or board meetings in Finland should keep contingency budgets for charter flights or virtual-meeting solutions and monitor further union notices, which must be filed at least two weeks before any additional action under Finnish law.
