Transported over 3.7 million travelers during the previous year
Icelandair transportation figures for the past year demonstrate a significant increase, with 3.7 million passengers compared to 1.5 million the year prior—a 150% surge. However, despite a gradual expanding capacity over the last year, levels haven't yet reached pre-pandemic numbers. In December 2022, the airline operated at 91% of its 2019 capacity, compared to 53% in January 2022 and 77% in June. The number of passengers in December 2022 alone stood at 233,500, marking an increase from 168,500 in December 2021.
Flight Adjustments Due to Weather and Closures
Last month, Icelandair encountered challenges in punctuality, seat usage, and flight scheduling due to weather disruptions and the closure of Reykjanesbraut. On-time performance for international flights was 62.4%. Load factor on international flights was 73%, up slightly from 71% in December 2021. Extreme weather conditions in Iceland during the month significantly impacted overall operations.
Domestic Flights
In comparison, the number of passengers on domestic flights stayed relatively stable, reaching 20,000 in December 2022 as compared to 19,000 in the same month the previous year. Despite winter weather disruptions, on-time performance for domestic flights stood at 81%, showing resilience in the face of adverse conditions. The load factor on domestic flights was 73%, a slight increase from the 70% recorded in December 2021. Sales of block hours in charter flights increased by 13%, while freight remained around the same level as in December 2021.
Airline operations are frequently impacted by factors like weather conditions, staffing issues, and disruptions in the route network, which can affect metrics like on-time performance and flight schedules. December, with its challenging winter weather, is no exception. Global trends suggest similar challenges prevalent in the aviation industry. Without specific data for Icelandair in December 2022, it is difficult to pinpoint exact factors responsible for the airline's performance during that month. However, these typical challenges facing airlines during winter months likely played a role.
- The challenging weather conditions in Iceland during December 2022 significantly affected Icelandair's aircraft operations, leading to an on-time performance of 62.4% for international flights.
- Despite the adverse weather impacting schedules and punctuality, the aviation industry's financial sector showed resilience with a 13% increase in sales of block hours in Icelandair's charter flights.
- The domestic transportation industry, while faced with winter weather disruptions, demonstrated stability with 20,000 passengers in December 2022, similar to the previous year, and a load factor of 73%, a slight increase from the same period in 2021.
