Finnair cancels more than 90 flights on Friday due to strike

Set to last four hours

HELSINKI (Reuters) — Finland's state-controlled airline Finnair said on Wednesday it will cancel more than 90 flights on Friday due to an ongoing airport workers' strike.

Finnish airport service workers will likely continue work stoppages on Friday after a trade union on Wednesday turned down a proposal to resolve a dispute over wages and benefits, the country's national conciliator said in a statement.

"The conciliator's proposal was not sufficient for us, but we are ready to continue talks," Juhani Haapasaari, chairman of The Finnish Aviation Union told Reuters.

Stoppages in Helsinki airport began two weeks ago, and may also continue next week if no solution is found.

Friday's action is due to last four hours, but it will be magnified by support strikes from workers in other service companies.

"This is already the second time we have to cancel over 90 flights, which is nearly one third of our daily flights on Friday. Cancellations apply to a large share of our domestic and European traffic during the strike time," Finnair's Chief Operating Officer Jaakko Schildt said in a statement.

The company added it will also make changes to departure times of other flights, so that they can be operated outside the strike hours.

Finnair, which is not party to the dispute between the Finnish Aviation Union and service company Airpo, last week said the strikes will cost it millions of euros. 

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