Finnair's Scheduled Traffic load factor rose in February by 2.4 percentage
points to 70.2 per cent. The rise in passenger load factor was due to cuts in
capacity.
“At the beginning of February, traffic growth figures were still fairly strong,
but they weakened towards the end of the month. The weakening of demand was
partly due to the pilots' threatened strike scheduled for the last week of
February. The average price was clearly below last year's level, because
business travel continues to fall,” says Finnair SVP Communications Christer
Haglund.
European traffic capacity was reduced by 12.4 per cent and domestic traffic was
cut by 14.9 per cent. Measured in revenue passenger kilometres, European traffic
declined in February by 8.2 per cent and domestic traffic by 14.4 per cent.
In Asian traffic, flights to Guangzhou were discontinued last year and a new
route to Seoul opened, resulting in a decline in Asian traffic capacity by 0.1
per cent. Asian traffic growth was 4.4 per cent, however, which improved the
Asian traffic passenger load factor.
In North American traffic, an increase in flights to New York raised capacity by
29.4 per cent. North American traffic grew by 32.7 per cent.
Leisure Traffic growth continued. In February traffic grew 10.2 per cent,
capacity increased by 11.0 per cent and load factor was 94.3 per cent. Leisure
Traffic growth comes mainly from flights by an Airbus A330 aircraft, leased for
the winter season from Air Europa.
Cargo Traffic, on the other hand, continues to decline. The amount of cargo
carried fell by 21 per cent. In North American traffic, the amount of cargo grew
by nine per cent as a result of an increase in flights on the New York route.
Of Finnair's flights, 84.3 per cent arrived on schedule, which represents an
improvement of 18.8 percentage points from last year. The scheduled passenger
traffic punctuality percentage rose from February last year by 18.8 percentage
points to 87.5 per cent.
Finnair traffic
Finnair traffic altogether increased by 2.5%, measured in revenue passenger
kilometres. Capacity decreased by 0.7%. Passenger load factor was 2.4 percentage
points higher than year before, 77.2%. Number of passengers carried decreased by
7.9% and was 597 029.
Scheduled traffic
Scheduled traffic decreased by 1.3%, measured in revenue passenger kilometres.
Capacity decreased by 4.8%. Passenger load factor was 2.4 percentage points
higher than year before, 70.2%. Number of passengers carried decreased by 10.6%
and was 479 545.
Scheduled international traffic remained the same, measured in revenue passenger
kilometres. Capacity decreased by 3.8%. Passenger load factor was 2.7 percentage
points higher than year before, 71.2%. Number of passengers carried decreased by
8.1% and was 352 978.
European scheduled traffic, decreased by 11.8%, measured in revenue passenger
kilometres. Capacity decreased by 12.4%. Passenger load factor was 0.4
percentage points higher than year before, 60.6%. Number of passengers carried
decreased by 13.4% and was 245 631.
North Atlantic scheduled traffic increased by 32.7%, measured in revenue
passenger kilometres. Capacity increased by 29.4%. Passenger load factor was 1.9
percentage points higher than year before, 78.0%. Number of passengers carried
increased by 32.7% and was 9 681.
Asian scheduled traffic increased by 4.4%, measured in revenue passenger
kilometres. Capacity decreased by 0.1%. Passenger load factor was 3.3 percentage
points lower than year before, 77.1%. Number of passengers carried increased by
4.8% and was 97 666.
Domestic scheduled traffic decreased by 17.7%, measured in revenue passenger
kilometres. Capacity decreased by 14.9%. Passenger load factor was 2.0
percentage points lower than year before, 58.1%. Number of passengers carried
decreased by 16.9% and was 126 567.
Leisure traffic
Leisure traffic increased by 10.2%, measured in revenue passenger kilometres.
Capacity increased by 11.0%. Passenger load factor was 0.7 percentage points
lower than year before, 94.3%. Number of passengers carried increased by 5.3%
and was 117 484.
Cargo
Cargo traffic decreased by 21.0% in terms of cargo tonnes carried.
Decrease in scheduled traffic was 20.0%. Cargo traffic decreased by 23.3% in
Asian traffic, by 20.3% in European traffic and increased by 9.0% in
North-Atlantic traffic.
Cargo traffic carried on chartered cargo flights decreased by 69.8%. The cargo
load factor in the Far Eastern traffic was 55.5% and in the North Atlantic
traffic 69.3%.
Full traffic performance data available at
http://www.finnairgroup.com/linked/en/sijoittajat/Monthly_traffic_data_FEB2009EN
.pdf
Finnair Plc
Communications
9.3.2009
Additional information:
Mr. Christer Haglund. SVP Corporate Communications. tel. +358 9 818 4007
Mr. Taneli Hassinen. VP Financial Communications and Investor Relations. tel.
+358 9 818 4976
Mr. Petteri Kostermaa. VP Traffic Planning. tel. +358 9 818 8504
Mr. Timo Riihimäki. Vice President. Cargo. tel. +358 9 818 5487