Finnair Traffic Performance in September 2022
Finnair Plc Investor News 5 October 2022 at 9:00 a.m. EEST
Clear improvement in passenger traffic figures year-on-year, no major changes in total figures month-on-month; strong cargo performance continued in September
In September, Finnair carried 890,500 passengers, which was 198.7% more than in September 2021. The number of passengers in September 2022 was 1.1% more than in August 2022 (month-on-month figures are not fully comparable as there was one day less in September).
The COVID-19 impact, including the strict travel restrictions imposed by many countries, still affected passenger traffic figures, and it was particularly visible in the Asian figures. The Russian airspace closed at the end of February due to the counter sanctions related to the war in Ukraine, which resulted in route and frequency cancellations in Asian traffic. Thanks to robust demand for cargo, Finnair, however, continued operating to most of its Asian destinations despite the longer routings. Thus, the negative impact of the airspace closure on Asian passenger traffic figures, which were already affected by the pandemic, remained moderate in September. The distance-based reported traffic figures do not take into account longer routings caused by the airspace closure as they are based on Great-Circle distance.
The overall capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASK), increased in September by 117.5% year-on-year but decreased by 2.3% month-on-month. Finnair operated, on average, 268 daily flights (cargo-only included), which was 86.1% more than in September 2021 and 5.9% more than in August 2022. The differences between capacity figures compared to September 2021 are explained by the longer average stage length of flights operated and by the larger gauge of aircraft operated. Finnair's traffic, measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKs), increased by 306.4% year-on-year but decreased by 4.9% month-on-month. The Passenger Load Factor (PLF) increased by 35.2% points year-on-year but decreased by 2.1% points month-on-month to 75.7%.
The ASK increase in Asian traffic was 136.3% year-on-year. The North Atlantic capacity increased by 67.4%. In European traffic, the ASKs were up by 147.5%. The ASKs in domestic traffic increased by 39.4%.
RPKs increased in Asian traffic by 827.9%, in North Atlantic traffic by 578.7%, in European traffic by 201.5% and in domestic traffic by 53.9% year-on-year.
In September, the PLF improved particularly in Asian traffic (76.1%) and North Atlantic traffic (65.4%) year-on-year. The PLF was 79.8% in European traffic and 78.0% in domestic traffic.
Passenger numbers increased in Asian traffic by 828.8% year-on-year. In North Atlantic traffic, the number of passengers increased by 559.0%. In European traffic, passenger numbers increased by 197.2% and in domestic traffic by 81.7%.
Despite the Russian airspace closure, most cargo figures improved year-on-year and remained close to August 2022 figures in September. Available scheduled cargo tonne kilometres increased by 63.2% year-on-year (decreased by 7.9% month-on-month) and revenue scheduled cargo tonne kilometres increased by 36.8% (decreased by 0.3% month-on-month), both due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on scheduled flights in September 2021. Cargo-related available tonne kilometres increased by 0.1% year-on-year (decreased by 8.3% month-on-month) but revenue tonne kilometres decreased by 19.8% (decreased by 0.8% month-on-month). These figures also include the cargo-only flights which were, however, almost entirely replaced by scheduled passenger flights carrying cargo in September. Strong demand for cargo capacity continued in September even though the total cargo tonnes decreased by 4.0% year-on-year (decreased by 0.2% month-on-month).
In September, 84.5% of all Finnair flights arrived on schedule (92.7%). On-time performance decreased year-on-year and was impacted by various capacity challenges in the European aviation system. Finnair’s Helsinki hub is functioning well, however, and Finnair’s relative on-time performance was good.
Traffic statistics for October 2022 will be published on Tuesday 8 November 2022.
| Finnair Traffic Performance September 2022 | ||||
| Month | % Change | YTD | % Change | |
| Total traffic | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 | 890.5 | 198.7 | 6,645.3 | 399.9 |
| Available seat kilometres mill | 2,711.4 | 117.5 | 23,112.9 | 290.9 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill | 2,052.3 | 306.4 | 15,238.6 | 622.2 |
| Passenger load factor % | 75.7 | 35.2p | 65.9 | 30.2p |
| Cargo tonnes total | 9,188.1 | -4.0 | 91,986.8 | 45.2 |
| Available tonne kilometres mill | 371.5 | 51.5 | 3,413.0 | 131.5 |
| Revenue tonne kilometres mill | 240.2 | 107.5 | 1,961.1 | 198.8 |
| Asia | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 Asia | 75.5 | 828.8 | 482.2 | 938.3 |
| Available seat kilometres mill Asia | 742.6 | 136.3 | 6,202.0 | 167.9 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill Asia | 565.1 | 827.9 | 3,624.4 | 937.6 |
| Passenger load factor % Asia | 76.1 | 56.7p | 58.4 | 43.4p |
| Europe | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 Europe | 647.6 | 197.2 | 4,732.8 | 440.9 |
| Available seat kilometres mill Europe | 1,311.7 | 147.5 | 10,501.4 | 373.5 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill Europe | 1,047.2 | 201.5 | 7,823.1 | 510.0 |
| Passenger load factor % Europe | 79.8 | 14.3p | 74.5 | 16.7p |
| North Atlantic | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 North Atlantic | 50.3 | 559.0 | 424.2 | 1,237.2 |
| Available seat kilometres mill North Atlantic | 575.8 | 67.4 | 5,544.5 | 455.2 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill North Atlantic | 376.6 | 578.7 | 3,177.8 | 1,276.2 |
| Passenger load factor % North Atlantic | 65.4 | 49.3p | 57.3 | 34.2p |
| Domestic | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 Domestic | 117.2 | 81.7 | 1,005.9 | 167.4 |
| Available seat kilometres mill Domestic | 81.3 | 39.4 | 864.9 | 126.5 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill Domestic | 63.5 | 53.9 | 613.4 | 148.0 |
| Passenger load factor % Domestic | 78.0 | 7.3p | 70.9 | 6.2p |
| Cargo traffic | ||||
| Europe tonnes | 1,937.1 | 526.2 | 16,364.5 | 806.6 |
| North Atlantic tonnes | 2,373.6 | 7.6 | 25,464.0 | 307.0 |
| Asia tonnes | 4,776.9 | 48.8 | 40,919.6 | 71.7 |
| Domestic tonnes | 31.4 | -0.1 | 259.3 | 4.8 |
| Cargo scheduled traffic total tonnes | 9,119.0 | 58.4 | 83,007.4 | 158.3 |
| Cargo flights tonnes** | 69.1 | -98.2 | 8,979.4 | -71.2 |
| Cargo Traffic tonnes total | 9,188.1 | -4.0 | 91,986.8 | 45.2 |
| Available tonne kilometres* mill | 91.6 | 0.1 | 965.9 | 64.4 |
| Revenue tonne kilometres mill | 56.7 | -19.8 | 599.9 | 28.0 |
| Available sched. cargo tonne kms* mill | 91.0 | 63.2 | 877.3 | 195.2 |
| Revenue sched. cargo tonne kms mill | 56.4 | 36.8 | 532.0 | 130.7 |
| Cargo load factor* % | 62.0 | -15.4p | 62.1 | -17.7p |
| - North-Atlantic cargo load factor* % | 51.8 | -17.7p | 56.9 | -11.6p |
| - Asia cargo load factor* % | 81.1 | -4.7p | 72.9 | -12.7p |
| Scheduled traffic cargo load factor* % | 62.0 | -12.0p | 60.6 | -16.9p |
* 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, N/A = not available).
- Available seat kilometres. ASK: Total number of seats available multiplied by 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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