In September, Finnair's overall capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometres grew by 8.5 per cent and traffic measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres grew by 7.2 per cent year‐on‐year. The passenger load factor declined by 0.9 percentage points year-on-year to 80.7 per cent.
The capacity in Finnair’s largest traffic area, Asia, grew by 12.4 per cent in September, boosted in particular by the Fukuoka and Guangzhou routes launched for the summer season and the additional capacity introduced by the A350s, and traffic grew by 9.4 per cent. Capacity in American traffic increased by 24.3 per cent, mainly due to increased Chicago frequencies, and traffic measured in RPK increased by 9.1 per cent.
The capacity in European traffic grew by 2.3 per cent, and traffic measured in RPK increased by 4.4 per cent year‐on‐year. The capacity in domestic traffic contracted by 1.3 per cent, and traffic increased by 5.7 per cent year‐on‐year.
According to preliminary data, Finnair’s unit revenue, or RASK (total Group revenue divided by ASK), declined in July–September by 5.1 per cent year‐on‐year and totalled 7.04 euro cents.
"In our European and domestic traffic, load factor increased and unit revenue improved slightly year-on-year. The strong capacity growth continued in Finnair’s long-haul traffic in the third quarter, while passenger volume growth was more moderate. Average load factor and unit revenue declined year-on-year. Particularly in traffic between China and Europe, there was marked growth in market capacity. In Cargo traffic, unit revenues declined, but strong volume growth balanced this partially," says Finnair CFO Pekka Vähähyyppä.
In September, the cargo capacity in scheduled traffic measured in Available Tonne Kilometres grew by 4.8 per cent, and Revenue Tonne Kilometres increased by 24.5 per cent year on year. In addition, Finnair’s total freight capacity included two weekly freighter flights between Helsinki and Brussels and two weekly freighter flights shared with IAG between Helsinki and London, both operated by DHL, the latter being replaced by a regular A350 connection five times a week in the first week of October.
In September, 90.9 per cent of all Finnair flights arrived on schedule.