Finnair carried 1,062,500 passengers in July 2023, reporting a rise of 6.3% than in July 2022 and 6.5% more than in June 2023 citing fading impact of COVID.
The airline noted the negative impact of the Russian airspace closure especially on Asian passenger traffic figures in July 2023 compared to the pre-pandemic figures.
Finnair’s overall capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASK), increased in July by 12.0% year-on-year and by 3.9% month-on-month. Finnair's traffic, measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKs), increased by 9.8% year-on-year and by 9.2% month-on-month. The Passenger Load Factor (PLF) decreased by 1.8% points year-on-year but increased by 4.1% points month-on-month to 84.8%.
The ASK increase in Asian traffic was 54.5% year-on-year explained e.g., by the additional capacity to Japan and South Korea as well as the Mumbai route opened in August 2022. The North Atlantic capacity decreased by 42.9% as the operations between Stockholm and the North American destinations were discontinued at the end of October 2022. In European traffic, the ASKs were up by 1.8%. The Middle Eastern capacity surged by 1,520.1% due to the Qatar Airways cooperation commenced in November 2022 and low traffic during the 2022 summer season. The ASKs in domestic traffic increased by 10.6%.
RPKs increased in Asian traffic by 65.9% year-on-year but decreased in North Atlantic traffic by 45.0%. In European traffic, RPKs decreased by 1.2%. In Middle Eastern traffic, RPKs increased by 1,299.3% but decreased in domestic traffic by 0.4%.
In July, the PLF was 85.0 % in Asian traffic, 87.0% in North Atlantic traffic, 86.0% in European traffic, 77.6% in Middle Eastern traffic and 69.6% in domestic traffic.
Passenger numbers increased in Asian traffic by 64.2% year-on-year but decreased in North Atlantic traffic by 45.3%. In European traffic passenger numbers increased by 2.0% and in Middle Eastern traffic by 912.6%. In domestic traffic, the number of passengers decreased by 0.1%.
Many cargo figures increased year-on-year in July due to Qatar Airways cooperation and increased Asian capacity even though discontinued operations between Sweden and the US cut North Atlantic cargo capacity. Available cargo tonne kilometres increased by 23.9% and revenue cargo tonne kilometres increased by 12.8% year-on-year. The total cargo tonnes increased by 18.0% year-on-year but decreased by 9.5% month-on-month.
In July, 81.3% of all Finnair flights arrived on schedule.