State-owned flag carrier Finnair reported third-quarter results on 30 October 2025 that disappointed the market and forced management to slash its full-year outlook. Comparable operating profit fell 29 % year-on-year to €50.7 million, hit by €18 million in costs linked to pilot and air-traffic control strikes earlier in 2025. As a result, the airline now expects 2025 operating profit of only €30–60 million on revenue of about €3.1 billion—down from the €30–130 million profit on €3.3–3.4 billion sales predicted in July.
CEO Turkka Kuusisto told analysts that long-haul demand on North-Atlantic routes has remained “sluggish,” with yields pressured by intense competition from both European and Gulf carriers. Finnair is particularly exposed because Russian airspace restrictions, still in force since 2022, continue to add time and fuel costs to its historical Asia network, making the North-Atlantic its main growth arena. The double-hit of strikes and soft demand underscores the fragility of the airline’s recovery strategy.
For corporate mobility managers, the profit warning signals a higher risk of capacity adjustments during the upcoming winter schedule. Finnair has already hinted it may cut frequencies on Helsinki–New York and delay the planned re-start of Chicago services. Travellers should therefore watch for schedule changes and consider alternative carriers on trans-Atlantic itineraries.
The labour unrest that escalated last winter has also raised questions about operational reliability: Finnair attributed 0.5 percentage points of its 82 % on-time performance drop in Q3 to residual crew shortages. While a new three-year pilot deal was reached in June, the airline must still rebuild reserve staffing levels. If fuel prices remain high, further cost-cutting—such as wet-leasing wide-bodies to partners—could reduce seat availability out of Helsinki.
Nonetheless, Finnair maintains that leisure traffic to Lapland and short-haul European routes is holding up. For Finnish exporters and inbound business travellers, the carrier’s still-dominant share of Finland’s air capacity means any fleet or network shift has immediate implications for meeting schedules and project budgets. Companies should update travel policies to include contingency routing via Copenhagen or Stockholm in case of further timetable compression.
CEO Turkka Kuusisto told analysts that long-haul demand on North-Atlantic routes has remained “sluggish,” with yields pressured by intense competition from both European and Gulf carriers. Finnair is particularly exposed because Russian airspace restrictions, still in force since 2022, continue to add time and fuel costs to its historical Asia network, making the North-Atlantic its main growth arena. The double-hit of strikes and soft demand underscores the fragility of the airline’s recovery strategy.
For corporate mobility managers, the profit warning signals a higher risk of capacity adjustments during the upcoming winter schedule. Finnair has already hinted it may cut frequencies on Helsinki–New York and delay the planned re-start of Chicago services. Travellers should therefore watch for schedule changes and consider alternative carriers on trans-Atlantic itineraries.
The labour unrest that escalated last winter has also raised questions about operational reliability: Finnair attributed 0.5 percentage points of its 82 % on-time performance drop in Q3 to residual crew shortages. While a new three-year pilot deal was reached in June, the airline must still rebuild reserve staffing levels. If fuel prices remain high, further cost-cutting—such as wet-leasing wide-bodies to partners—could reduce seat availability out of Helsinki.
Nonetheless, Finnair maintains that leisure traffic to Lapland and short-haul European routes is holding up. For Finnish exporters and inbound business travellers, the carrier’s still-dominant share of Finland’s air capacity means any fleet or network shift has immediate implications for meeting schedules and project budgets. Companies should update travel policies to include contingency routing via Copenhagen or Stockholm in case of further timetable compression.
Sumber: Reuters
