Finnair will start accepting a COVID-19 vaccination certificate from the first vaccination dose as an alternative to a negative test result or a certificate of a previous COVID-19 infection, on Finnair flights to Finland from May 11, 2021. In line with the recommendation by the Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare, Finnair has, since late January, required that all passengers travelling to Finland – excluding transfer passengers – present either a negative test certificate or an immunity/recovery certificate as a pre-requisite for boarding.
In addition, as of May 11, there is no requirement for children under the age of 16 to present a health certificate, but Finnair recommends children between 12 and 15 years of age arrive with proof of a negative test result. This is to speed up the arrival procedure at Helsinki Airport, where passengers with a negative test result are exempt from testing on arrival.
“Vaccines have proven their power in fighting the pandemic, and vaccination certificates will play a key role in the upcoming EU Digital Green Certificate to ensure the health and safety of travelers,” says Kimmo Ketola, Medical Director at Finnair. “The likelihood of a vaccinated person being infected and transmitting COVID-19 is very small.”
Finnair will accept vaccination certificates for all COVID-19 vaccines approved by the World Health Organization or the European Medical Agency. The vaccine needs to be administered at least 21 days before the travel date. As an alternative to the vaccination certificate, customers can present proof of a negative COVID-19 test result or a certificate of a previous COVID-19 infection.