European carrier Finnair Cargo has appointed Pasi Nopanen as vice president, global sales.
Nopanen, who has broad experience in logistics and in managing international sales teams, replaces Mikko Turtiainen, who has a new role on the passenger side as area vice president, sales EMEA.
Nopanen returned to Finnair in October 2014, responsible for sales in Scandinavia and North America, after working for almost 14 years within air cargo terminal handling and freight forwarding.
He originally joined Finnair in 1994 and for seven years was responsible for airport operations.
Finnair Cargo ended its leased MD-11 freighter operations in December 2014 when it axed a service between Helsinki and Hong Kong due to “deteriorating yields”. Finnair Cargo will rely increasingly on the carrier's growing passenger fleet for bellyhold capacity as widebody A350s start to arrive.
Finnair will increase its long-haul passenger flights to approximately 140 weekly flights and double its cargo belly capacity by 2020.
In March this year, the Finnair board approved a new €80m cargo terminal for Helsinki Airport. Construction work has started on a 35,000 sq m site, with an opening scheduled for Spring 2017.
Nopanen said: “I am excited to join Finnair Cargo during this time of launching the growth strategy with the new A350s. The air cargo business is going through interesting times and I am looking forward to being part of it; I am always up for a good challenge.
“I like many things in my work but for sure the best thing is that it is people business based on communication and trust.”
