50% growth in Asian traffic for Finnair

In September 2003 Finnair carried a total of 609,300 passengers, which is 2.7% less than year before. 504,200 of the passengers were carried in scheduled traffic (-0.3 %) and 105,000 in leisure traffic (-12.6 %). The total passenger traffic (RPK's) increased by 5.5 %, while the capacity (ASK) was up by 7.6 %, resulting in a passenger load factor (including leisure flights) of 69.5 %, 1.4 points lower than last year.

Cumulative January-September traffic (RPK) was 1.8 % below 2002 level on a capacity increase of 3.6 %. Passenger load factor was 69.0 % (-3.7 %-points). Total number of passengers carried was 5,085,600 (-5.7 %).

Departure punctuality of scheduled flights was 94.5 % (based on a fifteen minute standard), 0.1 %-points higher than in September 2002. Including leisure flights departure punctuality was 94.0 % (+0.9 p.u).

As from January 2003 the traffic performance report also includes the figures of Finnair's associated company Aero Airlines AS, to which Finnair handed over most of its Helsinki-Tallinn operations in June 1st 2002. In September Aero carried 9,100 passengers (-5.2 %) with a PLF of 45.8 % (-0.9 points).

Due to the introduction of a new fare concept in September customer behaviour and earnings logics have undergone significant changes and comparisons to Finnair's earlier traffic data are no longer relevant.

Scheduled traffic

- Scheduled traffic (international + domestic) revenue passenger kilometers increased by 14.4 %. The change in capacity was +14.1 %. Passenger load factor was 65.6 %, 0.1 points higher than last year.

- In scheduled international traffic, total number of passengers was down by 0.3 %. Capacity in ASKs was +17.4 %, while RPKs increased by 17.9 %.

- European scheduled traffic, ASKs increased by 3.1 %, and as RPKs increased by 1.5 %, the passenger load factor was 57.2 %, down 0.9 points from previous year.

- North Atlantic scheduled traffic, capacity increased by 23.8 %. Change in RPKs was -2.4 %, and passenger load factor for September was 67.0 %, 18.0 percentage points lower than previous year.

- Asian scheduled traffic, capacity increase was 44.6 %, due to addition of Shanghai flights in 2003 September, and Osaka flights since June. The passenger traffic was up by 50.0 %. Passenger load factor was 83.3 %, 3.0 percentage points up.

- Domestic scheduled traffic decreased by 8.1 % on a capacity decrease of 2.9 %. Passenger load factor decreased by 2.9. percentage points to 52.3 %.

Leisure traffic

- ASKs for leisure traffic decreased in September by 11.5 %, and RPKs decreased by 14.1 %, resulting in a passenger load factor of 84.4 %, 2.6 points lower than last year.

Cargo

- Cargo traffic increased by 3.4 % in terms of cargo tonnes carried.