Snapshot review: Finnair short-haul from Oslo to Helsinki on the ATR 72-500
If you’re flying short-haul on Finnair in the Nordic region, there is a high chance you may end up on the ATR 72-500 turboprop aircraft. These small aircraft carry a maximum of 70 people and have a very basic in-air experience. Here’s a quick snapshot look at what you can come to expect.
Due to the size of the aircraft, you will almost always have to use a bus gate or walk to the plane since a jet bridge would not connect.
A quick shot of the rear of an impressive looking SAS aircraft against the Nordic sky.
The aircraft itself is tiny with all passengers boarding via the rear door through the inbuilt stairs.
Hand wipes are provided upon entry to the aircraft.
The front ‘door’ is used for loading of hold baggage.
I recommend if you have a carry-on suitcase for a jet plane to check it in as the overhead space is tiny and quickly the space fills up. You’ll also notice the headroom is very limited with my head touching the ceiling at 6ft2/188cm. This flight was very full, suggesting travel is rebounding effectively in this region.
We were sat at seat 1A and 1B at the front of the plane which means that you are the last to disembark. I managed to reserve the two seats for free when I booked the flights 6 weeks out.
On the plus side, legroom is better at these seats but by no means world leading.
Slightly concerning, the plastic around the window seemed to move a little bit too much…but seemed to just be a cosmetic issue.
Then it was time to get ready for take off!
Here’s the safety card if you’re interested. This flight is actually operated by NoRRA, a joint venture between Finnair and Danish Air Transport, who previously operated franchise flights for Flybe in the Nordics.
The plane is really loud and even with noise-cancelling headphones is notably noisier than being on a jet plane - but seeing that wing view is a beauty!
In the air, the seats were pretty average with minimal padding but they do look smart with a mid-grey set off with the Finnair blue headrest cover.
As this is a relatively long flight for a turboprop, there is a limited beverage and snack service. Prices are aligned with other European carriers.
As a Finnair Plus Platinum member, I was proactively welcomed on-board and offered a bottle of Champagne for myself and my partner - good job! Although if I’m being honest, I could probably spend all my time on-board Finnair drinking Blueberry Juice!
You won’t fit much else on your tray table though with this small space being the extent of the tables in the front seats.
Just like the rest of the plane, the toilets are extremely cramped, this was taken with an ultra wide lens and still looks small. Strangely, the sink was disabled and replaced with sanitising wipes which is not ideal in my eyes.
And just like that, we’d landed over in Helsinki. These planes may be small, but boy do they look beautiful even when up against the widebody aircraft!
Conclusion
While this was never going to be the most exciting flight on earth, I had a decent journey. The crew were proactive on the flight and extremely welcoming in a contrast with SAS, where I am Star Alliance Gold, and on BA, where I am a Silver member. I don’t really get why NoRRA have disabled the sink as it seems a strange cost cutting move to make during the pandemic. While there are other aircraft I would rather take, the ATR 72-500 was a comfortable enough ride to get to Helsinki on the short-ish hop. Kiitos Finnair and NoRRA!
