In September, Finnair carried 921,800 passengers, which was 3.5% more than in September 2022 but 5.0% less than in August 2023 which the carrier says is just due to the normal seasonality fluctuation.
September passenger traffic figures improved year-on-year as the COVID-19 pandemic impacts have mostly faded and as the Russian airspace was closed already during the comparison period. The negative impact of the Russian airspace closure especially on Asian passenger traffic figures was, however, still visible in September 2023 compared to the pre-pandemic figures. The distance-based reported traffic figures do not take into account longer routings caused by the airspace closure as they are based on Great-Circle distance.
The overall capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASK), increased in September by 9.8% year-on-year but decreased by 5.5% month-on-month. Finnair's traffic, measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKs), increased by 13.0% year-on-year but decreased by 7.9% month-on-month. The Passenger Load Factor (PLF) increased by 2.2% points year-on-year but declined by 2.0% points month-on-month to 77.9%.
The ASK increase in Asian traffic was 31.8% year-on-year explained e.g. by the additional capacity to Japan and South Korea. The North Atlantic capacity decreased by 43.5% 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 4.3%. The Middle Eastern capacity surged by 1,958.6% due to the Qatar Airways cooperation commenced in November 2022 and low traffic during the 2022 summer season. The ASKs in domestic traffic decreased by 6.3%, which was explained by the smaller gauge of aircraft operated.
RPKs increased in Asian traffic by 39.4% year-on-year but decreased in North Atlantic traffic by 34.9%. In European traffic, RPKs increased by 1.9% and in Middle Eastern traffic by 1,679.4% but decreased in domestic traffic by 8.6%.
In September, the PLF was 80.5% in Asian traffic, 75.4% in North Atlantic traffic, 78.0% in European traffic, 70.7% in Middle Eastern traffic and 76.1% in domestic traffic.
Passenger numbers increased in Asian traffic by 37.7% year-on-year but decreased in North Atlantic traffic by 35.1%. In European traffic, passenger numbers decreased by 0.9%. In Middle Eastern traffic, the number of passengers increased by 1,193.8% but decreased in domestic traffic by 7.6%. In September, 82.8% of all Finnair flights arrived on schedule (84.5%).
Many cargo figures increased year-on-year in September due to Qatar Airways cooperation and increased Asian capacity even though discontinued operations between Sweden and the US cut North Atlantic cargo capacity. Cargo carried on flights as a part of the cooperation with Qatar Airways, where cargo capacity is fully allocated to and sold by Qatar Airways, is reported by Finnair under Middle East cargo figures. Available cargo tonne-kilometres increased by 22.6% and revenue cargo tonne-kilometres increased by 20.6% year-on-year. The total cargo tonnes increased by 24.1% year-on-year and by 5.0% month-on-month.
The airline is also currently seeking a new raft of emergency financing.
| Finnair Traffic Performance September 2023 | ||||
| Month | % Change | YTD | % Change | |
| Total traffic | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 | 921.8 | 3.5 | 8,372.8 | 26.0 |
| Available seat kilometres mill | 2,976.6 | 9.8 | 27,106.9 | 17.3 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill | 2,318.4 | 13.0 | 21,011.5 | 37.9 |
| Passenger load factor % | 77.9 | 2.2p | 77.5 | 11.6p |
| Cargo tonnes total | 11,406.1 | 24.1 | 98,082.5 | 6.6 |
| Available tonne kilometres mill | 429.1 | 15.5 | 3,892.5 | 14.0 |
| Revenue tonne kilometres mill | 275.8 | 14.8 | 2,469.7 | 25.9 |
| Asia | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 | 103.9 | 37.7 | 970.6 | 101.3 |
| Available seat kilometres mill | 978.9 | 31.8 | 9,393.0 | 51.4 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill | 787.9 | 39.4 | 7,316.4 | 101.9 |
| Passenger load factor % | 80.5 | 4.4p | 77.9 | 19.5p |
| Europe | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 | 638.8 | - 0.9 | 5,473.6 | 16.6 |
| Available seat kilometres mill | 1,356.2 | 4.3 | 11,168.6 | 8.5 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill | 1,057.6 | 1.9 | 8,918.2 | 16.3 |
| Passenger load factor % | 78.0 | - 1.8p | 79.9 | 5.4p |
| North Atlantic | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 | 32.6 | - 35.1 | 313.5 | - 26.1 |
| Available seat kilometres mill | 325.2 | - 43.5 | 3,244.1 | - 41.5 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill | 245.2 | - 34.9 | 2,377.9 | - 25.2 |
| Passenger load factor % | 75.4 | 10.0p | 73.3 | 16.0p |
| Middle East | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 | 38.2 | 1 193.8 | 373.9 | 824.1 |
| Available seat kilometres mill | 240.1 | 1 958.6 | 2,286.4 | 1,012.6 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill | 169.7 | 1 679.4 | 1,661.1 | 976.8 |
| Passenger load factor % | 70.7 | - 11.1p | 72.7 | - 2.4p |
| Domestic | ||||
| Passengers 1,000 | 108.3 | - 7.6 | 1,241.2 | 23.4 |
| Available seat kilometres mill | 76.2 | - 6.3 | 1,014.8 | 17.3 |
| Revenue passenger kilometres mill | 58.0 | - 8.6 | 737.8 | 20.3 |
| Passenger load factor % | 76.1 | - 1.9p | 72.7 | 1.8p |
| Cargo traffic | ||||
| - Europe tonnes | 2,030.2 | 5.0 | 16,909.1 | 10.9 |
| - North Atlantic tonnes | 1,174.3 | - 50.5 | 11,443.9 | - 55.1 |
| - Middle East tonnes | 2,048.6 | 55,538.5 | 16,472.2 | 1,366.6 |
| - Asia tonnes | 6,112.6 | 28.0 | 52,826.2 | 29.1 |
| - Domestic tonnes | 26.7 | - 15.1 | 259.6 | 0.1 |
| - Cargo flights tonnes* | 13.7 | - 80.2 | 171.6 | - 98.1 |
| Cargo traffic tonnes total | 11,406.1 | 24.1 | 98,082.5 | 6.6 |
| Available cargo tonne kilometres** mill | 112.3 | 22.6 | 1,062.3 | 10.0 |
| Revenue cargo tonne kilometres mill | 68.4 | 20.6 | 590.6 | - 1.6 |
| Cargo load factor** % | 61.0 | - 1.0p | 55.6 | - 6.5p |
* Including purchased traffic
** Based on average operational cargo capacity