Finnair Grounds Aircraft, Canceling Flights for Thousands Over Seat Cleaning Method Concerns

Due to a potential breach of fire safety protocols related to cleaning seat covers, numerous passengers had their flights canceled.

On both Monday and Tuesday, approximately 40 flights were called off, affecting around 5,000 travelers, according to an announcement from the airline provided to Business Insider.

The Finnish airline flagged eight Airbus A321s, out of a fleet of 15, temporarily halting their operations.

This action was prompted by feedback from the seat cover manufacturer, highlighting an unverified concern about using water in cleaning processes possibly compromising fire resistance.

The airline spokesperson emphasized, "Our foremost priority is the safety of our operations, consistently adhering to manufacturer maintenance protocols and authoritative guidelines."

On Monday, the eight Airbus planes were repositioned to Finnair's Helsinki base without any passengers.

Efforts are underway to devise solutions that will enable these aircraft to return to regular service at the earliest opportunity.

This incident is not isolated; there have been previous occasions when unusual issues caused schedule interruptions.

Previously in June, a KLM aircraft made an unexpected return journey across the Atlantic to Amsterdam, upon realization that it would surpass maintenance deadlines mid-flight.

"In order to avoid an in-flight expiry of our operational license, the decision was made to redirect the flight for maintenance back in the Netherlands," a KLM representative shared with Business Insider.

During the same month, an American Airlines flight en route to Naples, Italy, rerouted to Rome due to the deployment of an oversized aircraft.

The plane involved was a Boeing 787-9, a model larger than the usual 787-8 for that route, leading to diverse rescue and fire response requirements.