Finnair to dismantle aircraft at Helsinki Airport

The national flag carrier Finnair will dismantle and recycle an Airbus A319 aircraft, which has reached the end of its economic lifecycle at 21 years, said Finnair in a press release on Tuesday.

The dismantling will start this month with the work of its partner finishing in late March or early April.

The dismantling will begin at Helsinki Airport, where Finnair’s mechanics will remove parts that can be used elsewhere in Finnair’s fleet. These include the engine, seats, landing gear, and avionics components.

“This is the first time that a Finnair aircraft is dismantled and recycled in Finland. We made the decision to take the plane apart at our home hub to optimise sustainability and economics,”said Finnair’s Technical Operations Vice President Juha Ojala.

“This project allows us to improve the cost efficiency of maintenance operations and employs our mechanics during the pandemic when their normal workload has decreased.”

Before this, Finnair’s aircraft have been recycled elsewhere in Europe, when they reached the end of their lifecycle. Most companies that do this type of work are located in dry zones, where the climate is favourable for long-term storage of aircraft. This is the first time that a commercial aircraft will be dismantled in Finland. It’s an unusual project for Finnair, as it’s different from the company’s normal maintenance work, especially when it comes to planning and project management.

The recyclability of the aircraft and its parts is considered already at the design phase. As much as 98% of a new aircraft can be reused and recycled. With older aircraft, like the A319, about 90% can be reused.