HELSINKI, April 22 (Reuters) - Finnish airline Finnair reported a smaller-than-expected comparable operating loss for the first quarter, and said its revenue rose 12.1% year-on-year as demand for
Finnair Reduces Q1 Operating Loss as Asia Flight Demand Increases
Finnair Q1 2026 Financial Performance Overview
Improved Operating Loss and Revenue Growth
HELSINKI, April 22 (Reuters) - Finnish airline Finnair reported a smaller-than-expected comparable operating loss for the first quarter, and said its revenue rose 12.1% year-on-year as demand for Asian flight rose amid disruption in the Middle East.
Operating Loss Details
• January-March comparable operating loss stood at 0.6 million euros ($0.71 million), an improvement from a year-ago loss of 62.6 million euros, which was negatively affected by labour conflicts.
Analyst Forecasts
• Analysts had on average forecast a loss of 2.1 million euros in the first quarter of 2026, according to a poll provided by Finnair.
Revenue Increase
• Revenue rose 12.1% to 778.1 million euros from a year earlier.
Key Drivers and Risks
Cost Management and Demand
• "Successful cost management and, in particular, increased demand for our Asian flights counterbalanced the negative impact of the sharp rise in jet fuel prices," CEO Turkka Kuusisto said.
Risks from Middle East Conflict
• Middle East war poses risks related to the availability of fuel, which, if realised, could have a significant negative impact on capacity growth and financial result.
Outlook and Guidance
Unchanged Guidance
• Guidance unchanged: Finnair still estimates its revenue to be 3.3 billion–3.4 billion euros and comparable operating result to be 120 million–190 million euros in 2026.
Assumptions for Guidance
• The guidance is based on the assumption that there will be no significant disruptions in fuel availability.
(Reporting by Essi Lehto, editing by Terje Solsvik)
