In November 2024, Finnair saw a notable rise in passenger numbers, carrying 892,700 travelers—an impressive 9.9% increase compared to November 2023. This growth not only shows an uptick in demand but also pushed the airline’s Passenger Load Factor (PLF) to 73.9%, up by 2.9 percentage points from last year. On top of that, the airline’s cargo operations saw solid performance, with cargo volumes rising by 8.7%, and revenue cargo tonne kilometres increasing by 4.3%.

A key factor driving these positive results was an increase in capacity. Finnair added more narrow-body aircraft to its fleet after completing wet lease agreements with British Airways in March 2024. They also increased capacity in their Middle Eastern routes, which contributed to an overall 5.6% year-on-year growth in Available Seat Kilometres (ASK). Even when factoring in wet lease outs, capacity increased by 5.4%.

Growth Across All Regions

Finnair’s growth wasn’t confined to one region, with each area seeing different results:

• Asian traffic: While the airline reduced its ASK in Asia by 2.4%, passenger demand remained strong, with RPKs increasing by 9.9%. This reflects a solid recovery in the region despite reduced capacity. The PLF in Asia reached 80.1%.
• North Atlantic traffic: ASK dropped by 8.0% due to fewer flights to Los Angeles and Miami, and RPKs saw a slight dip of 0.4%. However, the North Atlantic still remains a significant market, with a PLF of 69.0%.
• European traffic: Europe performed well, with a 13.6% boost in ASKs, particularly on routes in northern Europe. This was reflected in a 9.5% rise in RPKs, and the PLF stood at 71.1%.
• Middle Eastern traffic: This region experienced the most significant growth, with ASKs climbing by 11.4%, thanks to extra flights to Dubai and Doha. RPKs jumped by 18.5%, and the PLF for this market hit 73.0%.
• Domestic traffic: Finnair expanded its domestic routes by 21.9%, particularly to northern destinations, resulting in a 17.0% rise in RPKs. However, domestic traffic had the lowest PLF at 63.0%.

Cargo Growth Continues to Drive Finnair’s Success

Cargo was another area where Finnair saw strong performance. The airline reported an 8.7% increase in total cargo tonnes in November, with revenue cargo tonne kilometres up by 4.3%. This continues to be a key area of growth for the airline, supporting its overall performance.

Weather Delays Impact On-Time Performance

Despite the positive results, Finnair did face some challenges with on-time performance. Only 71.5% of its flights arrived on schedule, down from 79.3% in November 2023. The decline was largely due to heavy snowfall at Helsinki Airport, which caused delays in airport operations.

Looking Ahead

As we look forward to the end of 2024, Finnair is on track to maintain its positive momentum. The airline will release its December traffic statistics on January 8, 2025, offering a closer look at how its network and performance wrapped up the year.s.

Finnair Traffic Performance – November 2024

Total Traffic

• Passengers (in thousands): 892.7 (+9.9%) | YTD: 10,668.4 (+5.6%)
• Available Seat Kilometres (millions): 3,018.8 (+5.6%) | YTD: 35,225.9 (+6.6%)
• Revenue Passenger Kilometres (millions): 2,230.7 (+9.9%) | YTD: 26,651.7 (+4.8%)
• Passenger Load Factor: 73.9% (+2.9 percentage points) | YTD: 75.7% (-1.3 percentage points)
• Cargo Tonnes (total): 13,214.1 (+8.7%) | YTD: 135,031.3 (+10.0%)
• Available Tonne Kilometres (millions): 438.7 (+3.8%) | YTD: 5,117.4 (+7.2%)
• Revenue Tonne Kilometres (millions): 277.7 (+8.3%) | YTD: 3,186.3 (+5.8%)
• Available Seat Kilometres (including wet lease out, millions): 3,233.8 (+5.4%) | YTD: 37,572.4 (+7.6%)

Regional Breakdown

Asia

• Passengers (in thousands): 114.0 (+9.6%) | YTD: 1,242.9 (+5.2%)
• Available Seat Kilometres (millions): 1,081.9 (-2.4%) | YTD: 12,399.0 (+7.6%)
• Revenue Passenger Kilometres (millions): 866.9 (+9.9%) | YTD: 9,547.3 (+7.0%)
• Passenger Load Factor: 80.1% (+8.9 percentage points) | YTD: 77.0% (-0.4 percentage points)

Europe

• Passengers (in thousands): 541.1 (+9.3%) | YTD: 7,090.7 (+7.4%)
• Available Seat Kilometres (millions): 1,232.5 (+13.6%) | YTD: 15,086.8 (+10.4%)
• Revenue Passenger Kilometres (millions): 876.1 (+9.5%) | YTD: 11,383.8 (+5.3%)
• Passenger Load Factor: 71.1% (-2.7 percentage points) | YTD: 75.5% (-3.6 percentage points)

North Atlantic

• Passengers (in thousands): 22.5 (+0.6%) | YTD: 370.6 (+0.5%)
• Available Seat Kilometres (millions): 248.2 (-8.0%) | YTD: 3,669.4 (-4.5%)
• Revenue Passenger Kilometres (millions): 171.3 (-0.4%) | YTD: 2,861.8 (+2.3%)
• Passenger Load Factor: 69.0% (+5.3 percentage points) | YTD: 78.0% (+5.2 percentage points)

Middle East

• Passengers (in thousands): 46.6 (+18.4%) | YTD: 423.7 (-6.2%)
• Available Seat Kilometres (millions): 289.3 (+11.4%) | YTD: 2,678.6 (-3.9%)
• Revenue Passenger Kilometres (millions): 211.4 (+18.5%) | YTD: 1,921.3 (-4.5%)
• Passenger Load Factor: 73.0% (+4.4 percentage points) | YTD: 71.7% (-0.5 percentage points)

Domestic

• Passengers (in thousands): 168.4 (+11.6%) | YTD: 1,540.5 (+2.5%)
• Available Seat Kilometres (millions): 166.8 (+21.9%) | YTD: 1,392.1 (+12.9%)
• Revenue Passenger Kilometres (millions): 105.1 (+17.0%) | YTD: 937.4 (+5.6%)
• Passenger Load Factor: 63.0% (-2.6 percentage points) | YTD: 67.3% (-4.7 percentage points)

Cargo Traffic

• Europe: 2,592.6 tonnes (+30.8%) | YTD: 26,981.4 tonnes (+25.3%)
• North Atlantic: 1,285.1 tonnes (+7.5%) | YTD: 13,981.8 tonnes (+1.6%)
• Middle East: 2,600.1 tonnes (+28.8%) | YTD: 21,794.5 tonnes (+5.4%)
• Asia: 6,697.7 tonnes (-2.8%) | YTD: 71,808.7 tonnes (+8.4%)
• Domestic: 21.9 tonnes (-16.6%) | YTD: 236.6 tonnes (-24.5%)
• Cargo Flights: 16.7 tonnes (-60.6%) | YTD: 228.3 tonnes (-3.2%)
• Total Cargo Traffic (tonnes): 13,214.1 tonnes (+8.7%) | YTD: 135,031.3 tonnes (+10.0%)

Revenue Cargo Tonne Kilometres (millions): 78.2 (+4.3%) | YTD: 802.8 (+8.7%)