Finnair Traffic Performance in January 2021
Finnair Plc Investor News 5 February 2021 at 9:00 a.m. EET
The COVID-19 pandemic impact was clearly visible in the January passenger traffic figures, strong cargo performance continued
In January, Finnair carried 85,600 passengers, which was 92.4% less than in the corresponding period of 2020 and 7.5% less than in December 2020. The COVID-19 impact, including the exceptionally strict travel restrictions imposed by several countries, still affected all passenger traffic figures. It was visible especially in the North Atlantic figures (no scheduled passenger flights in January).
The overall capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) decreased in January by 89.8% year-on-year. Finnair operated 74 daily flights (cargo-only included) on average which was 20.8% compared to January 2020. The differences between capacity figures are explained by the shorter operated flights on average and by the smaller gauge of operated aircraft compared to January 2020. Finnair's traffic measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKs) decreased by 96.7%. The Passenger Load Factor (PLF) decreased by 52.6% points to 25.4%.
The ASK decline in Asian traffic was 88.6%. The North Atlantic capacity decreased by 100.0%. In European traffic, the ASKs were down by 91.5%. The ASKs in domestic traffic decreased by 74.6%.
RPKs decreased in Asian traffic by 98.6%, in North Atlantic traffic by 100.0%, in European traffic by 94.9% and in domestic traffic by 79.1%.
The PLF was 10.1% in Asian traffic but it was supported by the strong cargo operations and a high cargo load factor. The PLF was 42.9% in European traffic and 52.3% in domestic traffic, whereas there was no PLF figure in North Atlantic traffic since there were no passenger flights in January.
Passenger numbers decreased in Asian traffic by 98.6%, in North Atlantic traffic by 100.0%, in European traffic by 93.4% and in domestic traffic by 82.2%.
Available scheduled cargo tonne kilometres decreased by 85.5% year-on-year and revenue scheduled cargo tonne kilometres decreased by 78.8%, both due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on scheduled flights. However, cargo related available tonne kilometres decreased by 69.1% and revenue tonne kilometres only by 52.2% as they both include also the cargo-only flights operated mainly between Europe and Asia as well as Europe and North America. Cargo-only tonnes were down by 36.0% and the total cargo tonnes by 23.0% from December 2020 as the year-end is normally the busiest season in the cargo business. However, strong demand for the cargo capacity especially in Asia continued. As a result, the cargo load factor was clearly higher than in the corresponding period of 2020.
In January, 80.7% of all Finnair flights arrived on schedule (85.8%).
Traffic statistics for February 2021 will be published on Friday 5 March 2021.
| Finnair Traffic Performance January 2021 | ||||
| Month | % Change | YTD | % Change | |
| Total traffic | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 | 85.6 | -92.4 | 85.6 | -92.4 |
| Available seat kilometres mill | 404.3 | -89.8 | 404.3 | -89.8 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill | 102.8 | -96.7 | 102.8 | -96.7 |
| Passenger load factor % | 25.4 | -52.6p | 25.4 | -52.6p |
| Cargo tonnes total | 5,242.8 | -58.6 | 5,242.8 | -58.6 |
| Available tonne kilometres mill | 118.2 | -80.0 | 118.2 | -80.0 |
| Revenue tonne kilometres mill | 46.6 | -86.9 | 46.6 | -86.9 |
| Asia | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 Asia | 3.1 | -98.6 | 3.1 | -98.6 |
| Available seat kilometres mill Asia | 230.7 | -88.6 | 230.7 | -88.6 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill Asia | 23.3 | -98.6 | 23.3 | -98.6 |
| Passenger load factor % Asia | 10.1 | -73.4p | 10.1 | -73.4p |
| Europe | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 Europe | 41.6 | -93.4 | 41.6 | -93.4 |
| Available seat kilometres mill Europe | 119.7 | -91.5 | 119.7 | -91.5 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill Europe | 51.3 | -94.9 | 51.3 | -94.9 |
| Passenger load factor % Europe | 42.9 | -29.2p | 42.9 | -29.2p |
| North Atlantic | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 North Atlantic | 0.0 | -100.0 | 0.0 | -100.0 |
| Available seat kilometres mill North Atlantic | 0.0 | -100.0 | 0.0 | -100.0 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill North Atlantic | 0.0 | -100.0 | 0.0 | -100.0 |
| Passenger load factor % North Atlantic | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Domestic | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 Domestic | 40.8 | -82.2 | 40.8 | -82.2 |
| Available seat kilometres mill Domestic | 53.8 | -74.6 | 53.8 | -74.6 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill Domestic | 28.2 | -79.1 | 28.2 | -79.1 |
| Passenger load factor % Domestic | 52.3 | -11.3p | 52.3 | -11.3p |
| Cargo Traffic | ||||
| Europe tonnes | 236.0 | -91.7 | 236.0 | -91.7 |
| North Atlantic tonnes | 0.0 | -100.0 | 0.0 | -100.0 |
| Asia tonnes | 2,138.8 | -75.8 | 2,138.8 | -75.8 |
| Domestic tonnes | 26.9 | -33.6 | 26.9 | -33.6 |
| Cargo scheduled traffic total tonnes | 2,401.7 | -81.0 | 2,401.7 | -81.0 |
| Cargo flights, tonnes** | 2,841.1 | 100.0 | 2,841.1 | 100.0 |
| Cargo Traffic tonnes total | 5,242.8 | -58.6 | 5,242.8 | -58.6 |
| Available tonne kilometres* mill | 46.6 | -69.1 | 46.6 | -69.1 |
| Revenue tonne kilometres mill | 37.5 | -52.2 | 37.5 | -52.2 |
| Available sched. cargo tonne kms*, mill | 21.8 | -85.5 | 21.8 | -85.5 |
| Revenue sched. cargo tonne kms, mill | 16.7 | -78.8 | 16.7 | -78.8 |
| Cargo load factor* % | 80.5 | 28.5p | 80.5 | 28.5p |
| - North-Atlantic cargo load factor* % | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| - Asia cargo load factor* % | 79.0 | 24.2p | 79.0 | 24.2p |
| Scheduled traffic Cargo load factor*, % | 76.3 | 24.3p | 76.3 | 24.3p |
* Based on average operational cargo capacity
** Including purchased traffic
- Change %: Change compared to the figures of the respective periods in the previous year (p = points).
- Available seat kilometres. ASK: Total number of seats available. multiplied by the number of kilometres flown.
- Revenue passenger kilometres. RPK: Number of revenue passengers carried. multiplied by kilometres flown.
- Passenger load factor: Share of revenue passenger kilometres of available seat kilometres.
- Available tonne kilometres. ATK: Number of tonnes of capacity for carriage of passengers. cargo and mail. multiplied by kilometres flown.
- Revenue tonne kilometres. RTK: Total revenue load consisting of passengers. cargo and mail. multiplied by kilometres flown.
- Overall load factor: Share of revenue tonne kilometres of available tonne kilometres.
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