Finnair says work permits for HK recruits delayed but not denied

Finland's national airline Finnair on Tuesday denied reports that work permit problems would disturb its plans to outsource the cabin crews on the Helsinki-Hong Kong route.

The Hong Kong-based newspaper South China Morning Post earlier quoted a would-be flight attendant as saying that she was told to look for another job even though she had already participated in training in Finland.

Finnair media service said on Tuesday that the work permits would be issued ultimately, but it would take a longer time than expected.

Finnair also said the Hong Kong people employed via the OSM Aviation had been told they could look for other jobs during the intervening time.

Last year Finnair said the Helsinki-Hong Kong route would switch to all Asian flight crews in January 2015, but in late December the Finnair customer service center could not give a specific date for the transition.

Finnair now said the switch-over would take place within the first quarter of this year.

In a memorandum of understanding last year, the union of Finnair flight attendants accepted the outsourcing of the Hong Kong and Singapore routes. In return, Finnair agreed to give up plans to outsource 20 more routes.