Finnair has warned of flight disruption due to a week-long strike by engineers.
Employees from Finnair Technical Services walked out yesterday in protest over plans by the airline to outsource engine and component services.
The airline operates twice a day from Manchester and four times a day from Heathrow to Helsinki.
A statement said: “Finnair estimates that it can fly the majority of its flights despite the industrial action. Some cancellations however can be expected, but at this stage the total impact of the industrial action are difficult to estimate.”
Unions did not accept Finnair’s proposal on financial support and re-employment support packages for employees who are at risk of redundancy.
The outsourcing agreement is a part of the Finnish airline’s structural change that aims at restoring the company’s profitability.
Employee negotiations on the impact of the agreement are still on-going and were expected to end on June 12.
Finnair has also been in talks with a potential buyer about the possibility of selling a part of its engine operations and securing part of the jobs currently at risk.
Customer service senior vice president Anssi Komulainen said: “We apologise for any inconvenience this walk out might cause for our customers.
“We will make every effort to ensure continued operations so our customers’ travel plans won’t be disturbed.”