Finnair’s February traffic statistics were affected by last year’s leap day, which had a negative impact of some 3.8 per cent on capacity. As a result, Finnair's overall capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) decreased in February 2017 by 2.2 per cent year‐on‐year, while excluding the leap day, it increased by 1.6 per cent. The number of passengers increased by 2.4 per cent to 834,000 (2016: 814,800), i.e. on average 29,800 per day (2016: 28,100). Traffic measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPK) grew by 2.5 per cent as the passenger load factor increased by 3.8 percentage points to 82.9 per cent.
The capacity in Finnair’s largest traffic area, Asia, contracted by 0.6 per cent in February (+3.2% leap day adjusted), but traffic grew by 4.8 per cent on the back of a higher passenger load factor. The decreased capacity also reflects the fact that flights to Chongqing are not operated between 11 February and 2 May 2017 due to pilots’ A350 training.
The capacity in American traffic decreased by 8.5 per cent year-on-year (-4.4% leap day adjusted), and traffic measured in RPK decreased by 8.9 per cent. The scheduled destination range was the same as in the comparison period. Part of the Atlantic traffic was operated by temporarily wet-leased aircraft and flight crew during the month.
European capacity decreased by 4.5 per cent (-0.8% leap day adjusted), but traffic grew by 1.2 per cent year-on-year. Domestic capacity increased by 7.5 per cent (+11.6% leap day adjusted), and traffic increased by 5.2 per cent year‐on‐year reflecting increased flying to Northern Finland.
In February, the cargo capacity in scheduled traffic measured in Available Cargo Tonne Kilometres contracted by 8.9 per cent, reflecting the leap day effect and reduced widebody traffic in Asia. Corresponding Revenue Cargo Tonne Kilometres decreased less, by 6.2 per cent year-on-year, due to a higher cargo load factor. In addition, Finnair’s total freight capacity included three weekly freighter flights between Helsinki and Brussels, operated by DHL.
In February, 83.5 per cent of all Finnair flights arrived on schedule (81.6).