Finnish airline Finnair has recorded remarkable growth in passenger traffic in June 2023, continuing its upward trajectory from the previous year.
Despite facing some challenges, the airline showed a noteworthy increase in overall capacity with positive growth in the domestic and European market sectors.
June passenger traffic
In June, Finnair served 997,200 passengers, which marked a significant 9.9% increase compared to the same period in 2022. Additionally, the airline experienced a 3.8% rise in passenger numbers from the previous month, May 2023.
However, it’s essential to consider that the month-on-month comparison might not be fully comparable due to one less day in June.
Recovery and Russian airspace closure
The surge in June passenger traffic figures can be attributed to the gradual fading of COVID-19 pandemic impacts, which allowed travel to resume more freely.
Moreover, during the same comparison period, the Russian airspace was closed, affecting air travel in the region.
While the negative impact of the Russian airspace closure was still evident in June 2023, especially on Asian passenger traffic, it did not deter Finnair’s overall growth.
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Capacity expansion
Finnair witnessed a noteworthy increase of 15.1% in overall capacity, as measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASK), year-on-year. However, there was a slight month-on-month decrease of 2.6% in ASK.
Despite this, Finnair’s traffic, measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKs), experienced a commendable 16.4% year-on-year increase and a promising 6.2% month-on-month growth.
The Passenger Load Factor (PLF) also displayed a positive trend, reaching 80.7%, with a 0.9% year-on-year and 6.7% month-on-month increase.
Increase in Asian traffic
The ASK increase in Asian traffic was a staggering 58.7% year-on-year. This substantial growth can be attributed to several factors, including the reopening of the Hong Kong route in July 2022, additional capacity added to Japan and South Korea, and the launch of the Mumbai route in August 2022.
North Atlantic capacity decrease
Conversely, the North Atlantic capacity witnessed a sharp decline of 41.6%. This reduction resulted from the discontinuation of operations between Stockholm and North American destinations at the end of October 2022.
Middle Eastern capacity surge
The Middle Eastern capacity recorded an astounding 1,809.9% increase, which can be attributed to the successful cooperation with Qatar Airways, commenced in November 2022.
The collaboration and low traffic during the 2022 summer season significantly contributed to this remarkable growth.
Positive growth in European and domestic traffic
European traffic experienced a positive growth of 4.1% in ASK, showcasing the airline’s strength in serving its regional routes. Additionally, Finnair’s domestic traffic registered a commendable 9.7% increase in ASK, indicating its successful operations within Finland.
Passenger numbers: A reflection of Finnair’s reach
The Passenger Load Factor (PLF) provides insights into seat occupancy in various market segments. In June, the PLF stood at 77.5% in Asian traffic, 82.7% in North Atlantic traffic, 84.0% in European traffic, 74.2% in Middle Eastern traffic, and 75.6% in domestic traffic.
Passenger numbers revealed interesting trends in different market segments. While Asian traffic witnessed a remarkable 62.4% year-on-year increase, North Atlantic traffic experienced a 39.0% decline.
European traffic showcased a positive growth of 5.3%, while the Middle Eastern traffic registered a staggering 1,181.9% increase. Finnair’s domestic traffic also displayed solid progress, with a 2.3% rise in passenger numbers.
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