I flew from Helsinki to London. My flight was delayed but the Finnish airport was so relaxing I barely noticed.

Beatrice NolanJun 18, 2023, 16:14 IST

A seating area in Helsinki-Vantaa Airport.Shutterstock

I flew from Helsinki to London with the low-cost European airline Ryanair.
My flight was due to leave just before 11 p.m. but was delayed for an hour.

I flew from Helsinki to London with the low-cost European airline Ryanair.

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My flight was due to leave just before 11 p.m. but when I arrived at the airport it was delayed by almost an hour.

Finavia

I was dreading the wait but the Finnish airport turned out to be so relaxing I barely noticed the delay.

Sergei Gapon/Getty Images

Security was quick due to Helsinki airport's 3D scanners. I didn't have to remove my laptop or liquids and was through to the gates within 15 minutes.

Finavia

The airport was full of big open spaces featuring traditional Finnish wood paneling and lots of natural light.

Getty Images

The pre-security area even had a small garden with a tree. Finnish design is known for trying to bring the outside in.

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The airport had a range of shops that were open late including a Finnish designer store, Marimekko. It's known for its original prints and bright colors.

Budrul Chukrut/Getty Images

The airport was quiet and there was no queue for passport control. I was the only traveler going through the gates and had my pick of five border control officials.

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Through security, there were lots of different restaurants and cuisines, including a Moomin cafe.

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The airport even had an interactive map — like one you'd find in a mall — so I could see what was still open.

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Even though it was late, I found a Nordic restaurant and a kiosk selling hot dogs and pizza.

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The restaurant was a bit pricey so I opted for the 4 euro ($4.30) pizza.

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There was a range of different seating options in the airport, including rocking chairs, all with multiple places to charge devices.

Helsinki-Vantaa AirportShutterstock

I took my food and settled down in one of the reclining seats to watch the sunset.

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The airport was peaceful and even had birdsong playing in the bathrooms.

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The airport also had excellent Wifi that was fast enough to stream a movie.

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There was even hot water on tap and a shop selling tea bags.

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By the time they called my flight, I felt relaxed and ready to fly.

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I flew from Dubai to London in economy class on an Emirates A380. The service was exceptional, but the colossal plane felt outdated.

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I flew from Helsinki to London. My flight was delayed but the Finnish airport was so relaxing I barely noticed.

I flew from Helsinki to London with the low-cost European airline Ryanair.

My flight was due to leave just before 11 p.m. but when I arrived at the airport it was delayed by almost an hour.

I was dreading the wait but the Finnish airport turned out to be so relaxing I barely noticed the delay.

Security was quick due to Helsinki airport's 3D scanners. I didn't have to remove my laptop or liquids and was through to the gates within 15 minutes.

The airport was full of big open spaces featuring traditional Finnish wood paneling and lots of natural light.

The pre-security area even had a small garden with a tree. Finnish design is known for trying to bring the outside in.

The airport had a range of shops that were open late including a Finnish designer store, Marimekko. It's known for its original prints and bright colors.

The airport was quiet and there was no queue for passport control. I was the only traveler going through the gates and had my pick of five border control officials.

Through security, there were lots of different restaurants and cuisines, including a Moomin cafe.

The airport even had an interactive map — like one you'd find in a mall — so I could see what was still open.

Even though it was late, I found a Nordic restaurant and a kiosk selling hot dogs and pizza.

The restaurant was a bit pricey so I opted for the 4 euro ($4.30) pizza.

There was a range of different seating options in the airport, including rocking chairs, all with multiple places to charge devices.

I took my food and settled down in one of the reclining seats to watch the sunset.

The airport was peaceful and even had birdsong playing in the bathrooms.

The airport also had excellent Wifi that was fast enough to stream a movie.

There was even hot water on tap and a shop selling tea bags.

By the time they called my flight, I felt relaxed and ready to fly.