Finnair starts Melbourne route on 25 October with cargo restrictions

Finnair Cargo will launch its first Australian service on 25 October 2026, introducing a daily, year-round air cargo connection between Helsinki and Melbourne via Bangkok. The route will connect Australia with Finnair’s wider European network and provide additional routing options for cargo moving between Australia, Europe and North America.

The inaugural flight, AY145, is scheduled to depart Helsinki at 01:15 on 25 October and arrive in Melbourne at 07:20 local time on 26 October. The approximately 22-hour journey includes a stop of just under two hours in Bangkok. The return service, AY146, is scheduled to depart Melbourne at 15:30 local time, arrive in Bangkok at 20:40 and depart at 22:45, reaching Helsinki at 06:00 the following day.

Both services will be operated by an Airbus A350 passenger aircraft, with cargo carried in its belly hold. The aircraft has approximately 23 tonnes or 95 cubic metres of belly cargo capacity, although the actual capacity available on an individual flight depends on operational requirements.

“We are pleased with the response so far and have seen strong interest in the new connection,” said Anna-Maria Kirchner, Head of Global Sales at Finnair Cargo, in an interview with The STAT Trade Times.

“For Finnair Cargo, Melbourne is much more than a new destination. It is an opportunity to bring our high-quality service to new customers, strengthen trade between Australia and Europe, and support businesses that depend on reliable, time-critical logistics,” said Kirchner.

Temperature-sensitive cargo restrictions at launch
Finnair Cargo will not initially accept pharmaceuticals, perishables and other temperature-sensitive shipments as through cargo between Helsinki and Melbourne in either direction. These shipments may be accepted separately on the Helsinki–Bangkok and Bangkok–Melbourne sectors, subject to applicable handling requirements and restrictions.

“For Finnair Cargo, Melbourne is much more than a new destination. It is an opportunity to bring our high-quality service to new customers, strengthen trade between Australia and Europe, and support businesses that depend on reliable, time-critical logistics.”
Anna-Maria Kirchner, Finnair Cargo

The airline is conducting temperature mapping on the new route and will review the restrictions once the assessment is complete. The exercise is intended to establish the conditions under which sensitive cargo can be handled across the complete journey, including during the Bangkok stopover.

In its 7 October announcement, Finnair Cargo highlighted interest in pharmaceuticals, temperature-controlled products and Australian seasonal exports, including cherries. However, these commodities will not initially be accepted as through shipments across the complete Helsinki–Melbourne route.

Kirchner explained the airline’s approach to managing sensitive cargo during the initial phase.

“For the initial phase of the route, we are taking a cautious approach to temperature-sensitive cargo. Pharmaceuticals, perishables and other temperature-sensitive shipments are not initially accepted as through cargo between Helsinki and Melbourne, although they can be accepted separately on the Helsinki–Bangkok and Bangkok–Melbourne routes and vice versa, subject to the applicable requirements and restrictions.”

She added: “We are conducting temperature mapping on the new route to better understand shipment conditions and will review these restrictions once the assessment has been completed.”

Maintaining cargo integrity across multiple sectors requires standardised handling processes, trained personnel, appropriate facilities and coordination between the parties involved. The outcome of the temperature-mapping exercise will determine whether Finnair Cargo can broaden its acceptance conditions for temperature-sensitive through shipments.

Daily connectivity through Bangkok and Helsinki
The route schedule is designed to facilitate connections at Helsinki for cargo arriving from European and North American destinations. The departure shortly after midnight allows shipments arriving during the preceding day to connect to the Melbourne service, while the return flight’s early-morning arrival in Helsinki provides time for onward flights and trucking services later that day.

The same Airbus A350 operates the Helsinki–Bangkok–Melbourne rotation. During the Bangkok turnaround, cargo destined for the Thai market is unloaded, and the aircraft is prepared and loaded for the onward sector.

Kirchner said: “The Melbourne service is planned as a daily, year-round operation via Bangkok with an Airbus A350. We see strong potential in the market, and our focus is now on establishing the new route and building it together with our customers and partners.”

She added: “As with all routes in our network, we continuously monitor performance and demand. At this stage, we do not have additional capacity plans to announce.”

Finnair Cargo expects the service to handle a broad range of commodities, including general cargo, high-tech products, industrial components, automotive parts, fashion and design products, seafood and other perishables. Actual cargo flows will depend on customer bookings, available capacity and applicable acceptance conditions.

Europe–Australia trade and North American demand
The new connection is intended to serve existing customers with transportation requirements to and from Australia while creating opportunities for new cargo flows. Through Helsinki, the route will also provide connections for North American shipments moving to Melbourne, subject to routing and capacity availability.

Kirchner said: “We see the new Melbourne service as creating new cargo opportunities across our network, not only between Europe and Australia but also for customers connecting to and from North America through our Helsinki hub.”

“There is customer demand for reliable and efficient air cargo connections to Australia, and Melbourne gives us an opportunity both to serve our existing customers and to develop new customer relationships and cargo flows.”

The airline sees potential across several industrial and consumer-product supply chains, alongside its established cargo categories.

“We see opportunities across a broad range of cargo. Finnair Cargo’s network carries pharmaceuticals, seafood, high-tech products and general cargo, while industrial components, car parts and fashion and design products are also among the types of shipments moving between Europe, Asia and Australia,” Kirchner said.

She identified connectivity as a central advantage of the new service. “A key advantage is connectivity. The daily Melbourne service links Australia with Bangkok and, through Helsinki, Finnair’s wider European and long-haul network. Our internal planning also identifies Melbourne as enabling new traffic flows, with Bangkok taking on an important connecting role for cargo on the route.”

Finnair Cargo measures operational performance through service reliability, which is particularly important for time-critical shipments. The airline’s Helsinki hub also offers specialised handling infrastructure, including its COOL terminal for temperature-sensitive products. The new route’s initial restrictions nevertheless mean that access to these facilities does not, by itself, enable temperature-sensitive shipments to be accepted as through cargo to or from Melbourne.

Kirchner said: “Reliability is particularly important in air cargo, especially for time-critical and sensitive shipments. At Finnair Cargo, service reliability is one of our key customer KPIs, and our focus is on delivering cargo safely, efficiently and consistently.”

Qantas Freight appointed as Melbourne handling agent
Finnair Cargo appointed Qantas Freight as its cargo ground-handling agent at Melbourne Airport, effective 1 October 2026. The arrangement provides local operational support ahead of the launch and builds on the airlines’ existing relationship.

The airline has also appointed ACP Worldwide as its general sales and service agent (GSSA) in Australia and New Zealand, providing local sales representation and access to established customer relationships.

With the daily service scheduled to begin on 25 October, Finnair Cargo’s immediate priority is to establish the operation and develop demand with customers and partners. The airline has not announced plans to add frequencies or deploy additional capacity.

The route’s initial performance, customer demand and findings from the temperature-mapping exercise will help shape its development, including any subsequent changes to the acceptance of temperature-sensitive cargo across the complete Helsinki–Melbourne journey.