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Thousands of passengers see flights cancelled after 'seats incorrectly cleaned' READ MORE: Holidaymaker reveals her 'horrible' six-month ordeal after airline's flight change made her miss connection By MARTI STELLING, REPORTER Published: 11:16 BST, 22 October 2025 | Updated: 11:16 BST, 22 October 2025 Thousands of passengers have seen their flights cancelled this month due to an unusual safety issue. In a statement, Finnair said eight of its A321 aircrafts were grounded because the 'water washing' method used to clean the seats does not follow fire safety standards. Between October 13 and 21, around 10,000 passengers are thought to have been affected, with travellers warned to expect delays, changes and flight cancellations. Finnair's statement said: 'We have temporarily suspended operations on a portion of our A320 fleet (8 A321 aircraft). 'The reason for the suspension is the information received from the seat upholstery manufacturer that the impact of the cleaning method (water washing) of the seat covers on fire protection has not been properly verified.' Finland's flag carrier, which flies to more than 150 destinations across 50 countries, assured travellers that safety is its 'top priority,' and manufacturers' maintenance instructions are always followed. It has previously been reported by Which? that cleaners can be given as little as eight minutes to wipe-down a 180-seat plane between flights, even with some 'premium' carriers. To reduce disruptions and the number of cancellations, Finnair said it would make 'daily aircraft type changes.' Finland's flag carrier, Finnair, flies to more than 150 destinations across 50 countries In a statement, Finnair said eight of its A321 aircrafts were grounded because the 'water washing' method used to clean the seats does not follow fire safety standards UK city named in Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2026 destinations 1.8k viewing now Cynical truth about Gethin Jones and Helen Skelton's relationship 40.4k viewing now Foreign Office issues urgent travel advice for eight countries 1.4k viewing now From October 15, this includes operating selected flights with Finnair's partner airline, Lithuania's DAT LT. However, this will 'likely lead to overbookings'. Passengers on cancelled or overbooked flights will be contacted by text message or email, according to the airline. Finnair has urged customers to have their current contact information up to date. In the instance of missing a connecting flight on the same ticket, the airline will book passengers a new flight to the end destination. Finnair will also send a message as soon as the travel plan is completed. The airline apologised for 'the uncertainty and inconvenience this situation has caused.' According to Citizens' Advice, passengers who experience issues like these could be due up to £520 in compensation. Travellers are entitled to compensation if a delay (longer than three hours) or cancellation is the airline's fault. Share or comment on this article: Thousands of passengers see flights cancelled after 'seats incorrectly cleaned' Add comment
