Finnair load factors plummet in May

In May 2003 Finnair carried a total of 517,200 passengers, which is 13.6% less than year before. 418,100 of the passengers were carried in scheduled traffic (-15.0%) and 99,100 in leisure traffic (-7.6%).

The total passenger traffic (RPK's) decreased by 19.3%, while the capacity (ASK) was down by 3.0%, resulting in a passenger load factor (including leisure flights) of 58.3%, 11.8 points lower than last year.

Finnair stated that the May figures were affected by SARS fears and related travel restrictions, especially in the Far East traffic, as well as the adverse business conditions due to global economic slowdown. The airline said that capacity decreasing measures implemented in May will continue and be more noticeable in June.

Departure punctuality of scheduled flights was 95.8% (based on a fifteen minute standard), 2.0 percentage points better than in May 2002. Including leisure flights departure punctuality was 95.0% (+1.6 p.u).

As from January 2003 the traffic performance report will also include the figures of Finnair's associated company Aero Airlines AS, to which Finnair handed over most of it's Helsinki-Tallinn operations in June 1st 2002. In May Aero carried 10,100 passengers with a PLF of 51.6%.

Scheduled traffic

* RPKs in scheduled traffic (international + domestic) decreased by 23.9%. The change in capacity was -1.2%. Passenger load factor was 50.1%, 15.0 percentage points lower than last year.

* In scheduled international traffic, premium traffic decreased by 16.0%, while the total number of passengers was down by 16.4%. Capacity in ASKs was -0.5%, while RPKs decreased by 25.3 %.

- In European scheduled traffic, ASKs increased by 2.7%, and as RPKs decreased by 10.6%, the passenger load factor was 52.3%, down 7.8 points from previous year.

- In North Atlantic scheduled traffic, capacity decreased by 10.1 %. Change in RPKs was -25.8%, and passenger load factor for May was 67.7%, 14.3 p.u. lower than previous year. Premium traffic decreased by 35.7%.

- In Far East scheduled traffic, capacity decrease was 2.9 %. The passenger traffic was down by 49.4%. Passenger load factor was 38.6%, 35.5 percentage units down. The number of premium passengers decreased by 65.0%.

* Domestic scheduled traffic decreased by 14.0% on a capacity decrease of 5.1 %. Passenger load factor decreased by 5.1 p.u. to 49.7%.

Leisure traffic

* ASKs for leisure traffic decreased in May by 8.7%, and RPKs decreased accordingly by 8.4%, resulting in a passenger load factor of 85.6%, 0.2 points higher than last year.

Cargo

* Cargo traffic decreased by 2.0% in terms of cargo tonnes carried. Cargo and mail tonnes decreased by 2.2%. The Far Easter Cargo traffic increased 11.0%. Tonnes in the North Atlantic traffic decreased 14.2%. Load factor in chartered Cargo traffic was 71.3%. Cargo and mail tonnes up by 1.1% during January-May.