Image: Finnair

National air carrier Finnair says it plans to hire more than 1,000 new employees over the next few years. The company says that it will need more workers to carry out tasks in fields like technology, cabin services and other aviation services and high-level expertise capacities.

The company, which is anticipating growth this year, already hired more than 1,000 employees over the past few years. More than half of those new workers are pilots and cabin crew, with the rest in technology development, customer service and digital services.

Last month Finnair announced that it would begin recruiting more than 100 pilots, saying that both experienced aviators as well as novice pilots were welcome to apply.

Improved earnings outlook

Over the past years the company has particularly expanded its routes in Asia and earlier this month upgraded this year's earnings outlook. The company said it anticipates operating profits from 135 to 155 million euros this year - which would be a major improvement compared to last year's earnings of 55 million.

Finnair said this year's earnings boost is contingent on current fuel prices remaining steady and no significant market changes.

Later last month the firm announced even more new routes to Asia than it already serves. Starting next May, Finnair will begin flying a direct route from Helsinki to Nanjing in East China, which will become the company's seventh connection in China.

The airline currently serves Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Xian, Chongqing and Guangzhou. Thanks to newly-acquired equipment and permission to fly a shorter route over Siberia, Helsinki Airport has become Europe's fastest gateway to Asia.

Next summer Finnair says it plans to begin direct flights from Helsinki to Lisbon, Portugal and Stuttgart, Germany. The airline has also announced new routes to Tokyo, Chicago, San Francisco, Bangkok and Delhi.