Summary
- Finnair’s passenger traffic in December 2023 increased by 5.4% in comparison with the previous 12 months.
- The closure of Russian airspace continues to affect Finnair’s Asian passenger traffic, regardless that it saw growth.
- Finnair saw growth in cargo metrics, driven by partnerships and expanded capability on Asian and European routes.
Finnair has revealed its passenger traffic numbers for December 2023. The Finnish flag carrier demonstrated a comparatively strong performance in the course of the last month of the 12 months, with over 878,000 passengers flying with the airline, despite still experiencing the negative effects of the closure of Russian airspace.
Finnair continues recovery
The Finnish airline served 878,200 passengers in December, marking a 5.4% increase in comparison with December 2022 and an 8.2% rise in comparison with November 2023. The strong performance in December was anticipated, because the winter holiday season is extremely lucrative for airlines, particularly in Europe. Finnair said:
“December passenger traffic figures improved year-on-year because the COVID-19 pandemic impacts have mostly faded and because the Russian airspace was closed in the course of the comparison period. The negative impact of the Russian airspace closure especially on Asian passenger traffic figures was, nevertheless, still visible in December 2023 in comparison with the pre-pandemic figures.”
Throughout the month, the entire number of obtainable seats, measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASK), increased by 7.8% in comparison with the previous 12 months and by 8.5% in comparison with the previous month.
Photo: Jaromir Chalabala | Shutterstock
Meanwhile, several cargo metrics showed year-on-year growth, driven by Finnair’s collaboration with Qatar Airways and expanded cargo capability on Asian and European routes. Available cargo tonne kilometres increased by 14.4% and revenue cargo tonne kilometres rose by 15.8% in comparison with December 2022. As well as, the general amount of cargo in tonnes increased by 16.5% year-on-year and three.6% month-on-month.
Examined: The Finnair Fleet In 2023
The Finnish flag carrier favors Airbus jets for its mainline operations.
Asian traffic surges, North American declines
In December, Finnair’s passengers favored Asian and European destinations probably the most. The available seat kilometers (ASK) to Asian cities increased by 14.9% in comparison with the previous 12 months, primarily attributable to additional flights to Japan and South Korea. Passenger traffic in Asia rose by 5.2% year-on-year.
Photo: Wirestock Creators | Shutterstock
Nevertheless, there was a ten.8% decrease in passengers traveling to North Atlantic destinations. In Europe, passenger numbers increased by 8.1%, within the Middle East by 9.8%, and domestically by 1.2%.
Panic Over: Finnair Reverses Luggage Allowance Cuts
At one point, each checked bag reportedly cost over $100 on itineraries to and from Asia in the event that they were checked last-minute on the airport.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Finnish national carrier faced challenges with the closure of Russian airspace. Previously positioning itself because the gateway between East and West, the airline exploited a distinct segment of connecting Europe and Asia via the short northern route.
For the reason that closure of Russian airspace, the Finnish airline has been forced to reroute its flights around Russia, adding extra distance to its previously shorter routes. In response to this alteration, the airline earlier announced a strategic shift, placing a greater give attention to North America to reinforce geographical balance in its overall route network.
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