Finnair reports clear improvement in April passenger traffic figures

Finnair carried 680,300 passengers in April 2022, which was 740.4% more than in April 2021. The number of passengers was 10.7% more than in March 2022 (month-on-month figures are not fully comparable as there was one fewer day in April). The COVID-19 impact, including the strict travel restrictions imposed by several countries due to the Omicron-variant, still affected passenger traffic figures, which was particularly visible in the Asian figures.

The overall capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASK), increased in April by 507.9% year-on-year and by 6.8% month-on-month. Finnair operated, on average, 236 daily flights (cargo-only included), which was 237.1% more than in April 2021 and 10.8% more than in March 2022. The differences between capacity figures compared to April 2021 are explained by the longer average stage length of flights operated and by the larger gauge of aircraft operated. Finnair’s traffic, measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKs), increased by 1,270.9% year-on-year and by 21.0% month-on-month. The Passenger Load Factor (PLF) increased by 33.2% points year-on-year and by 7.0% points month-on-month to 59.6%.

The ASK increase in Asian traffic was 167.5% year-on-year. Finnair restarted its North Atlantic passenger operations in March 2021 with flights to New York, whereas in April 2022, it operated to many U.S. destinations from both Finland and Sweden. Therefore, the North Atlantic capacity increased by 3,403.3% year-on-year. In European traffic, the ASKs were up by 793.6%. The ASKs in domestic traffic increased by 152.8%.

RPKs increased in Asian traffic by 1,120.3%, in North Atlantic traffic by as much as 19,958.4% due to the abovementioned reasons, in European traffic by 1,321.3% and in domestic traffic by 174.1% year-on-year.

The PLF was 51.9% in Asian traffic and 47.6% in North Atlantic traffic but both were supported by the strong cargo operations. The PLF was 69.5% in European traffic and 71.1% in domestic traffic.

Passenger numbers increased in Asian traffic by 1,093.2%, in North Atlantic traffic by as much as 17,759.1% due to the aforementioned reasons, in European traffic by 1,084.1% and in domestic traffic by 206.0% year-on-year.