Finnair (AY) remains Finland’s flag carrier and one of Northern Europe’s most strategically important airlines. Operating primarily from Helsinki, the airline has historically specialised in connecting Europe with Asia through its geographically advantageous hub position.
However, the closure of Russian airspace dramatically altered Finnair’s long-haul strategy, forcing the airline to restructure parts of its network and rethink profitability. In response, Finnair has accelerated cost-cutting programmes, fleet optimisation and diversification into North American, Indian and Middle Eastern markets.
Leading the airline through this transformation is CEO Turkka Kuusisto, whose compensation reflects both the challenges and strategic importance of steering Finnair during a difficult period for Nordic aviation.
Who is Finnair CEO Turkka Kuusisto?
Turkka Kuusisto became Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Finnair in 2024 after previously serving in senior industrial and technology leadership roles in Finland. Unlike many airline CEOs, Kuusisto came from outside traditional aviation, bringing broader corporate restructuring and operational management experience.
Before joining Finnair, he served as CEO of logistics and industrial businesses, including Posti Group and Siemens operations in Finland. His appointment was viewed as a strategic decision aimed at strengthening operational efficiency and long-term transformation.
Since taking over at Finnair, Kuusisto has focused heavily on restoring profitability, improving operational resilience and reshaping the airline’s network strategy following the disruption caused by restricted Asian overflight routes.
Known for a measured and analytical management style, he has prioritised financial discipline while attempting to preserve Finnair’s premium Nordic brand positioning.
Turkka Kuusisto Salary and Compensation in 2026
Finnair follows a Nordic executive compensation model that combines a moderate fixed salary with performance-linked incentives and long-term share awards.
Based on recent Finnish corporate disclosures and Nordic airline executive benchmarks, Kuusisto’s estimated 2026 compensation is:
- Base salary: approximately €650,000–750,000
- Annual performance bonus: around €400,000–700,000
- Long-term incentive and share-based awards: roughly €600,000–1.0 million
- Benefits, pension and executive allowances: about €100,000–180,000
This places his estimated total compensation at €1.8–2.6 million, equivalent to roughly US$2.0–2.9 million in 2026.
Compared with larger European airline groups, Finnair’s executive pay remains relatively restrained due to Nordic governance culture and the airline’s smaller scale.
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Salary Comparison
To better understand Turkka Kuusisto’s estimated €1.8–2.6 million (US$2.0–2.9 million) compensation, it helps to compare it with that of nearby European peers.
At Scandinavian Airlines, CEO Anko van der Werff is estimated to earn around SEK 18–24 million (US$1.7–2.3 million) annually following SAS’s restructuring and privatisation efforts.
Meanwhile, at Lufthansa, CEO Carsten Spohr receives one of Europe’s highest airline executive packages, estimated at around €10–11 million in 2026 due to Lufthansa Group’s much larger scale and profitability.
Compared with these peers, Kuusisto’s compensation sits in the lower-to-middle tier of European airline CEO pay, reflecting Finnair’s smaller scale and Nordic corporate pay structure.
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Finnair Strategic Focus for 2026
Finnair enters 2026 focused heavily on restoring profitability and adapting its long-haul strategy to the post-Russia airspace environment.
A major priority remains network optimisation, particularly across Asia, Europe and North America. The airline continues restructuring schedules and route economics to offset longer flight times caused by restricted Russian airspace.
Operational reliability and cost discipline also remain central priorities as Finnair seeks to stabilise margins after several difficult years.
Fleet efficiency continues to play an important role, with Airbus A350 aircraft helping maintain competitive long-haul operating costs and a premium passenger experience.
The airline is additionally investing in sustainability initiatives, digital customer experience improvements and expanded partnerships with alliance carriers.
Maintaining Helsinki’s relevance as a Northern European hub despite geopolitical changes remains one of Finnair’s biggest long-term strategic challenges.
Bottom Line
Turkka Kuusisto’s estimated €1.8–2.6 million (US$2.0–2.9 million) compensation in 2026 reflects the challenge of leading Finnair through one of the most difficult strategic transitions in European aviation.
While considerably lower than that of major European airline group CEOs, his pay remains competitive within the Nordic airline sector and is strongly tied to operational and financial recovery.
As Finnair continues restructuring its network and rebuilding profitability, Kuusisto’s future earnings will likely remain closely linked to the airline’s long-term transformation success.
FAQs
His estimated total compensation is around €1.8–2.6 million annually.
Adapting its Asian network strategy after Russian airspace restrictions.
Profitability recovery, operational efficiency, network restructuring and sustainability.
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