Strong growth in Asian traffic continued and passenger amounts were up in all traffic areas in May
In May, Finnair carried 1,146,300 passengers, 13.5% more than in the corresponding period of 2017. The number of passengers grew in Asian traffic (+19.3%), European flights (+11.0%) and domestic traffic (+10.0%). The number of passengers carried on North American routes grew as much as 77.3% due to additional frequencies to Chicago and the San Francisco route that was opened already in May this year.
Finnair’s overall capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) increased in May by 21.5% year-on-year, showing a record high ASK growth. Finnair’s traffic measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKs) grew less, by 18.8%. The high ASK growth rate was reflected in the Passenger Load Factor (PLF), which decreased year-on-year by 1.8 points to 79.5%.
In May 50% of Finnair’s ASKs were in Asian traffic, 38% on European routes and the rest in North American and domestic traffic. Finnair’s long-haul capacity was increased by the A350 aircraft introduced after the reference period. The ASK growth in Asian traffic was 23.9%, and it was mainly directed at frequency additions to Tokyo, Bangkok and Hongkong and the new route opening to Nanjing. In North American traffic ASKs increased by 78.7% because of added frequencies to Chicago and flights to San Francisco, which begun to operate already in May this year when they were started in June in 2017. New York was operated with similar frequencies.
The 12.0% ASK growth in European traffic derived from the increase in the narrow-body fleet size year-on-year and the additional seating capacity added to some if its existing narrow-body aircraft. Capacity growth was directed at added frequencies to several destinations, especially to Stockholm, Tallinn, Bergen, Berlin, St. Peterburg and Moscow. Flights to a new destination Stuttgart began at the end of April. ASKs in domestic traffic increased mainly as a result of added capacity to Oulu by 11.8%.
RPKs grew by 19.7% in Asian traffic, 9.1% in European traffic, 87.2% in North American traffic and 12.3% in domestic traffic. The PLF was 81.1% in Asian traffic, 77.9% in European traffic, 84.5% in North American traffic, and 62.9% in domestic traffic. The PLF in total traffic decreased by 1.8 points to 79.5%.
Available Scheduled Cargo Tonne Kilometres increased by 26.4% year-on-year. Revenue Scheduled Cargo Tonne Kilometres increased by 12.2% driven by the good cargo market development in the Nordic countries and Japan. Finnair’s total cargo capacity also included three weekly freighter flights between Helsinki and Brussels, operated by DHL. Cargo flight volumes decreased from the comparison period, when Finnair rented cargo space from Japan Airlines.
In May 88.0% of all Finnair flights arrived on schedule (89.9).
Traffic statistics for June 2018 will be published on Wednesday, 10 July 2018.
Finnair Traffic Performance May 2018
| May | % Change | YTD | % Change | |
| Total traffic | ||||
| Passengers 1000 | 1,146.3 | 13.5 | 5,233.3 | 14.4 |
| Available seat kilometres mill | 3,657.2 | 21.5 | 16,603.5 | 18.8 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill | 2,907.4 | 18.8 | 13,634.5 | 19.4 |
| Passenger load factor % | 79.5 | -1.8p | 82.1 | 0.4p |
| Cargo tonnes total | 13,603.7 | -0.1 | 56,937.4 | -1.8 |
| Available tonne kilometres mill | 539.6 | 20.0 | 2,454.0 | 18.1 |
| Revenue tonne-kilometres mill | 345.0 | 14.4 | 1,580.1 | 15.2 |
| Asia | ||||
| Passengers 1000 | 196.7 | 19.3 | 982.3 | 26.3 |
| Available seat kilometres mill | 1,827.4 | 23.9 | 8,579.3 | 26.7 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill | 1,481.2 | 19.7 | 7,442.1 | 26.7 |
| Passenger load factor % | 81.1 | -2.8p | 86.7 | -0.0p |
| Europe | ||||
| Passengers 1000 | 739.0 | 11.0 | 3,020.0 | 11.9 |
| Available seat kilometres mill | 1,404.5 | 12.0 | 5,904.7 | 8.7 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill | 1,094.8 | 9.1 | 4,616.9 | 9.5 |
| Passenger load factor % | 77.9 | -2.1p | 78.2 | 0.6p |
| North Atlantic | ||||
| Passengers 1000 | 35.0 | 77.3 | 130.0 | 19.3 |
| Available seat kilometres mill | 295.9 | 78.7 | 1,181.5 | 19.2 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill | 250.2 | 87.2 | 968.4 | 22.2 |
| Passenger load factor % | 84.5 | 3.9p | 82.0 | 2.1p |
| Domestic | ||||
| Passengers 1000 | 175.6 | 10.0 | 1,101.0 | 11.4 |
| Available seat kilometres mill | 129.1 | 11.8 | 938.0 | 20.1 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill | 81.2 | 12.3 | 607.0 | 13.8 |
| Passenger load factor % | 62.9 | 0.3p | 64.7 | -3.5p |
| Cargo Traffic | ||||
| Europe tonnes | 1,909.2 | -20.6 | 7,574.8 | -24.2 |
| North Atlantic tonnes | 946.1 | 12.4 | 3,290.6 | -7.2 |
| Asia tonnes | 9,790.9 | 13.7 | 42,478.0 | 17.6 |
| Domestic tonnes | 50.9 | 12.4 | 238.1 | -59.6 |
| Cargo scheduled traffic total tonnes | 12,697.2 | 6.6 | 53,581.5 | 6.6 |
| Cargo flights, tonnes** | 906.5 | -47.1 | 3,355.9 | -56.6 |
| Cargo Traffic tonnes total | 13,603.7 | -0.1 | 56,937.4 | -1.8 |
| Available tonne kilometres* mill | 148.8 | 19.2 | 628.8 | 12.9 |
| Revenue tonne kilometres mill | 84.8 | 2.6 | 360.0 | 2.6 |
| Available sched.cargo tonne kms*, mill. | 146.9 | 26.4 | 621.1 | 20.6 |
| Revenue sched.cargo tonne kms, mill. | 83.3 | 12.2 | 354.5 | 13.9 |
| Cargo load factor* % | 57.0 | -9.3p | 57.3 | -5.8p |
| – North-Atlantic cargo load factor* % | 43.6 | -19.4p | 47.9 | -5.6p |
| – Asia cargo load factor* % | 64.0 | -6.2p | 64.3 | -3.2p |
| Scheduled traffic Cargo load factor*, % | 56.7 | -7.2p | 57.1 | -3.3p |
* Operational calculatory 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.
Finnair Plc Investor News 6 June 2018 at 9:00 am
