In June, Finnair carried 1,240,500 passengers, 12.8% more than in the corresponding period of 2017. The number of passengers grew in Asian traffic (+15.5%), European traffic (+12.4%), North America traffic (+18.2%) and domestic traffic (+9.9%).
Finnair's overall capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) increased in June by 16.4% year-on-year. Finnair's traffic measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKs) grew less, by 14.5%. The high ASK growth rate was reflected in the Passenger Load Factor (PLF), which decreased year-on-year by 1.4 points to 85.4%.
In June 48% of Finnair's ASKs were in Asian traffic, 41% on European routes and the rest in North American and domestic traffic. Finnair’s long-haul capacity has been increased by the A350 aircraft with enlarged capacity, which have been introduced after the reference period. The ASK growth in Asian traffic was 16.4% and was mainly directed at frequency additions to Tokyo and Bangkok and to the new route opening to Nanjing. In North American traffic ASKs increased by 11.7%, mostly due to additional frequencies to Chicago.
The 18.0% 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 of the existing narrow-body aircraft. Capacity growth was directed at added frequencies to several destinations, especially to Tallinn, Bergen, Berlin, Gdansk, St Petersburg and Moscow. Flights to a new destination Stuttgart began at the end of April. ASKs in domestic traffic increased by 8.6% mainly as a result of added capacity to Oulu.
RPKs grew by 14.8% in Asian traffic, 13.8% in European traffic, 17.5% in North American traffic and 11.1% in domestic traffic. The PLF was 86.2% in Asian traffic, 83.8% in European traffic, 94.2% in North American traffic, and 70.0% in domestic traffic. The PLF in total traffic decreased by 1.4 points to 85.4%.
Available Scheduled Cargo Tonne Kilometres increased by 23.9% year-on-year. Revenue Scheduled Cargo Tonne Kilometres fell short of the of the capacity growth by increasing 8.3% mostly driven by the cargo market development between 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.
According to preliminary data, Finnair’s unit revenue, or RASK (total Group revenue divided by ASK), decreased in April–June by 4.2 per cent year-on-year and totaled 6.67euro cents.
“During the past quarter, we made monthly records in the number of carried passengers and in several other growth figures. Because of the strong capacity growth, our passenger load factor weakened, and Q2 RASK was below corresponding period as we expected" says Finnair's CFO Pekka Vähähyyppä.
In June 81.1% of all Finnair flights arrived on schedule (83.5).