Finnair’s Asian traffic up seven percent in January

NEW DELHI - Finish airline Finnair Wednesday reported an over seven percent increase in passenger traffic growth for its Asian operations for the month of January as compared to the like period of 2010.

Demand is on a growth track but we are still suffering to some extent from the after-effects of the cabin staff strike. As a result, passenger load factors declined, said Finnair’s chief financial officer Erno Hildn.

According to Hildn, the company had increased its capacity by more than 20 percent to meet the growing passenger traffic in the region, while the scheduled traffic capacity was increased by more than 16 percent.

“We increased capacity in anticipation of growth, but the passenger km growth figures remained relatively modest due to the after-effects of the strike,” Hildn said.

The scheduled traffic of the airline reported a growth of over five percent while the overall traffic catered by the carrier increased by more than three percent.

Meanwhile, the cargo segment of the airline grew by 41 percent in January compared with the like period of 2010.

“A pick-up in demand, particularly in traffic between Europe and Asia, and the impact of cargo aircraft traffic launched in May last year are evident in cargo growth,” Hildn further said.

Currently, the airline operates scheduled passenger services between India and Finland, including cargo carrier out of India to serve both northern Europe and some member countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States.