Passenger load factors improved clearly in European, North-Atlantic and domestic traffic; capacity growth exceeded demand growth in Asian traffic and cargo
In September, Finnair carried 1,279,700 passengers, 10.4% more than in the corresponding period of 2018. The overall capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) increased in September by 8.5%. Finnair’s traffic measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKs) increased by 9.8%, and the Passenger Load Factor (PLF) increased year-on-year by 0.9% points to 81.7%.
Finnair’s long-haul capacity increased year-on-year with three new A350 aircraft that entered the service after the comparison period. The ASK growth in Asian traffic was 10.4 %, mainly due to the doubling of frequencies to Hong Kong and increased frequencies to Osaka. Osaka (Kansai) airport was closed for several weeks during the comparison period due to typhoons Jebi and Mangkhut. The North American capacity increased by 23.4% following the opening of the new Los Angeles route in March.
In European traffic, the ASKs were up by 4.4%. The growth derived from additional seating capacity in some of the existing narrow-body aircraft and the changes in the route network. The added capacity was directed especially to London and Brussels and to new destinations Hannover, Trondheim, Bologna and Astana. Capacity in domestic traffic decreased by 3.7% mainly due to changes in the traffic plan.
RPKs increased in Asian traffic by 3.8%, in North American traffic by 41.1%, in European traffic by 12.0% and in domestic traffic by 4.6%. The PLF was 80.7% in Asian traffic, 90.1% in North American traffic, 82.1% in European traffic and 70.3% in domestic traffic.
Passenger numbers increased in Asian traffic by 3.3%, in North American traffic by 34.0%, in European traffic by 13.1% and in domestic traffic by 3.3%. The decline in demand from Europe to Asia, especially Hong Kong, was reflected in the number of passengers in Asian traffic.
Available scheduled cargo tonne-kilometres increased by 13.7% year-on-year. Revenue scheduled cargo tonne-kilometres increased by 11.4%. Global uncertainty in world trade continued to press the global air freight market in September, and market softness and yield pressures were especially visible in Finnair’s cargo markets in Asia.
In September 85.3% of all Finnair flights arrived on schedule (85.2%).
Traffic statistics for October 2019 will be published on Thursday 7 November 2019.
| Finnair Traffic Performance September 2019 | ||||
| Month | % Change | YTD | % Change | |
| Total traffic | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 | 1,279.7 | 10.4 | 11,146.7 | 10.1 |
| Available seat kilometres mill | 3,994.2 | 8.5 | 35,600.7 | 11.6 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill | 3,264.5 | 9.8 | 29,383.0 | 10.4 |
| Passenger load factor % | 81.7 | 1.0p | 82.5 | -0.8p |
| Cargo tonnes total | 15,774.9 | 9.0 | 127,828.7 | 12.5 |
| Available tonne kilometres mill | 587.7 | 8.7 | 5,208.3 | 11.0 |
| Revenue tonne-kilometres mill | 391.9 | 9.7 | 3,439.7 | 10.9 |
| Asia | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 Asia | 208.6 | 3.3 | 1,951.4 | 5.7 |
| Available seat kilometres mill Asia | 1,951.6 | 10.4 | 17,561.2 | 10.5 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill Asia | 1,574.9 | 3.8 | 14,752.9 | 5.9 |
| Passenger load factor % Asia | 80.7 | -5.2p | 84.0 | -3.6p |
| Europe | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 Europe | 841.9 | 13.1 | 7,113.6 | 13.0 |
| Available seat kilometres mill Europe | 1,562.9 | 4.4 | 13,580.3 | 10.8 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill Europe | 1,283.2 | 12.0 | 11,056.7 | 13.4 |
| Passenger load factor % Europe | 82.1 | 5.5p | 81.4 | 1.9p |
| North Atlantic | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 North Atlantic | 41.8 | 34.0 | 351.1 | 26.4 |
| Available seat kilometres mill North Atlantic | 349.4 | 23.4 | 3,056.3 | 28.8 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill North Atlantic | 314.8 | 41.1 | 2,662.1 | 31.3 |
| Passenger load factor % North Atlantic | 90.1 | 11.4p | 87.1 | 1.7p |
| Domestic | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 Domestic | 187.4 | 3.3 | 1,730.7 | 1.5 |
| Available seat kilometres mill Domestic | 130.2 | -3.7 | 1,402.8 | 1.5 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill Domestic | 91.6 | 4.6 | 911.3 | 1.5 |
| Passenger load factor % Domestic | 70.3 | 5.6p | 65.0 | -0.0p |
| Cargo Traffic | ||||
| Europe tonnes | 3,151.0 | 60.7 | 25,059.0 | 66.8 |
| North Atlantic tonnes | 1,278.3 | 18.7 | 10,077.0 | 30.9 |
| Asia tonnes | 11,297.5 | 8.0 | 92,247.5 | 10.4 |
| Domestic tonnes | 48.1 | 1.5 | 445.2 | 9.1 |
| Cargo scheduled traffic total tonnes | 15,774.9 | 16.4 | 127,828.7 | 19.8 |
| Cargo flights, tonnes** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cargo Traffic tonnes total | 15,774.9 | 9.0 | 127,828.7 | 12.5 |
| Available tonne kilometres* mill | 162.4 | 12.3 | 1,409.7 | 15.7 |
| Revenue tonne kilometres mill | 99.8 | 9.6 | 809.9 | 12.6 |
| Available sched.cargo tonne kms*, mill. | 162.4 | 13.7 | 1,409.7 | 17.1 |
| Revenue sched.cargo tonne kms, mill. | 99.8 | 11.4 | 809.9 | 14.4 |
| Cargo load factor* % | 61.4 | -1.5p | 57.5 | -1.6p |
| – North-Atlantic cargo load factor* % | 58.3 | 8.5p | 55.8 | 5.5p |
| – Asia cargo load factor* % | 66.3 | -5.0p | 62.2 | -3.9p |
| Scheduled traffic Cargo load factor*, % | 61.4 | -1.2p | 57.5 | -1.3p |
* 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 8 October 2019 at 9:00 am