Finnair Traffic Performance in October 2020
Finnair Plc Investor News 6 November 2020 at 9:00 a.m. EET
The COVID-19 pandemic impact was clearly visible in the October traffic figures, cargo demand still strong
In October, Finnair carried 100,800 passengers, which is 92.0% less than in the corresponding period of 2019 and 12.8% less than in September 2020. The COVID-19 impact, including the exceptionally strict travel restrictions imposed by Finland, still affected all passenger traffic figures. It was visible especially in the North Atlantic figures (no scheduled flights in October).
The overall capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) decreased in October by 88.5% year-on-year. Finnair operated 76 daily flights (cargo-only included) on average which was 21.1% compared to October 2019. The differences between capacity figures are explained by the shorter operated flights on average and by smaller operated aircraft compared to October 2019. Finnair's traffic measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKs) decreased by 95.6%. The Passenger Load Factor (PLF) decreased by 50.7% points to 31.6%.
The ASK decline in Asian traffic was 86.6%. The North Atlantic capacity decreased by 100.0%. In European traffic, the ASKs were down by 90.2%. The ASKs in domestic traffic decreased by 66.3%.
RPKs decreased in Asian traffic by 96.9%, in North Atlantic traffic by 100.0%, in European traffic by 94.7% and in domestic traffic by 71.4%.
The PLF was 19.2% in Asian traffic but it was supported by the cargo operations and a very high cargo load factor. The PLF was 45.0% in European traffic and 59.6% in domestic traffic, whereas there was no PLF figure in North Atlantic traffic due to zero passenger flights in October.
Passenger numbers decreased in Asian traffic by 96.9%, in North Atlantic traffic by 100.0%, in European traffic by 93.5% and in domestic traffic by 78.2%.
Available scheduled cargo tonne kilometres decreased by 87.4% year-on-year and revenue scheduled cargo tonne kilometres decreased by 81.9%, both due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on scheduled flights. However, cargo related available tonne kilometres decreased by 76.7% and revenue tonne kilometres decreased by 65.3% and they both include also the cargo-only flights operated between Europe and Asia as well as Europe and North America. The total cargo tonnes were up by 26.1% from September 2020 due to continued strong demand for the cargo capacity. As a result, the cargo load factor was still clearly higher than in the corresponding period of 2019.
In October, 94.7% of all Finnair flights arrived on schedule (82.4%).
Traffic statistics for November 2020 will be published on Tuesday 8 December 2020.
| Finnair Traffic Performance October 2020 | ||||
| Month | % Change | YTD | % Change | |
| Total traffic | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 | 100.8 | -92.0 | 3,308.1 | -73.3 |
| Available seat kilometres mill | 464.9 | -88.5 | 12,146.9 | -69.4 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill | 147.1 | -95.6 | 7,930.9 | -75.8 |
| Passenger load factor % | 31.6 | -50.7p | 65.3 | -17.2p |
| Cargo tonnes total | 5,037.4 | -70.0 | 57,163.8 | -60.5 |
| Available tonne kilometres mill | 117.3 | -80.3 | 2,146.9 | -63.0 |
| Revenue tonne kilometres mill | 49.5 | -87.7 | 1,088.4 | -71.7 |
| Asia | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 Asia | 6.8 | -96.9 | 494.8 | -77.2 |
| Available seat kilometres mill Asia | 264.7 | -86.6 | 5,725.1 | -70.7 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill Asia | 50.7 | -96.9 | 3,788.6 | -76.9 |
| Passenger load factor % Asia | 19.2 | -63.6p | 66.2 | -17.7p |
| Europe | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 Europe | 53.4 | -93.5 | 1,947.4 | -75.5 |
| Available seat kilometres mill Europe | 156.7 | -90.2 | 4,808.9 | -68.3 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill Europe | 70.5 | -94.7 | 3,028.1 | -75.5 |
| Passenger load factor % Europe | 45.0 | -37.6p | 63.0 | -18.6p |
| North Atlantic | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 North Atlantic | 0.0 | -100.0 | 82.3 | -78.9 |
| Available seat kilometres mill North Atlantic | 0.0 | -100.0 | 848.9 | -75.0 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill North Atlantic | 0.0 | -100.0 | 647.1 | -78.1 |
| Passenger load factor % North Atlantic | N/A | N/A | 76.2 | -10.5p |
| Domestic | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 Domestic | 40.6 | -78.2 | 783.6 | -59.1 |
| Available seat kilometres mill Domestic | 43.5 | -66.3 | 764.0 | -50.1 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill Domestic | 25.9 | -71.4 | 467.1 | -53.4 |
| Passenger load factor % Domestic | 59.6 | -10.4p | 61.1 | -4.2p |
| Cargo Traffic | ||||
| Europe tonnes | 284.2 | -92.1 | 8,543.4 | -70.2 |
| North Atlantic tonnes | 0.0 | -100.0 | 2,542.2 | -77.8 |
| Asia tonnes | 2,436.2 | -79.3 | 29,331.8 | -71.8 |
| Domestic tonnes | 28.5 | -41.0 | 278.9 | -43.5 |
| Cargo scheduled traffic total tonnes | 2,748.9 | -83.6 | 40,696.3 | -71.9 |
| Cargo flights, tonnes** | 2,288.5 | 100.0 | 16,467.5 | 100.0 |
| Cargo Traffic tonnes total | 5,037.4 | -70.0 | 57,163.8 | -60.5 |
| Available tonne kilometres* mill | 37.9 | -76.7 | 596.8 | -62.1 |
| Revenue tonne kilometres mill | 36.4 | -65.3 | 379.5 | -58.5 |
| Available sched. cargo tonne kms*, mill | 20.6 | -87.4 | 448.8 | -71.5 |
| Revenue sched. cargo tonne kms, mill | 19.0 | -81.9 | 258.8 | -71.7 |
| Cargo load factor* % | 96.0 | 31.6p | 63.6 | 5.4p |
| - North-Atlantic cargo load factor* % | N/A | N/A | 66.3 | 10.0p |
| - Asia cargo load factor* % | 96.1 | 26.1p | 62.6 | -0.4p |
| Scheduled traffic Cargo load factor*, % | 92.3 | 27.9p | 57.7 | -0.5p |
* 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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