Finnair has recently indicated that it is facing significant challenges within the North Atlantic market, driven by decreased demand and yields. The airline's CEO, Turkka Kuusisto, disclosed that the airline has lowered its annual guidance following underwhelming performance in transatlantic services during the third quarter of 2025.
Corporate and operational factors, including industrial actions, unplanned maintenance, and rising fuel prices, have further compounded these difficulties. Kuusisto explained that the North Atlantic became a "huge challenge," prompting Finnair to hedge capacity earlier in the year and reduce flying operations, notably from Copenhagen and Stockholm to Doha.
Despite the demand downturn, Finnair reported a profitable third quarter, with a €51 million operating result, as revenue grew slightly by 2%, offsetting €18 million in losses related to industrial actions. The airline is monitoring market trends closely, particularly concerning its network plans for 2026, which include reopening the Helsinki-Toronto route after a decade.
The airline's Asian network continues to perform well, especially between Europe and Japan, where Finnair became the largest carrier during the summer with 25 weekly flights. However, routes to the Middle East have seen losses after ceasing service from Copenhagen and Stockholm to Doha, operating only the Helsinki-Doha route via Qatar Airways.
Looking forward, Finnair is engaged in fleet planning discussions, including managing its Airbus A321 fleet and ongoing arrangements with Qantas for wet-leased A330s. Currently, the airline operates a mainline fleet comprising 30 A320-family aircraft, 8 A330-300s, and 18 A350s, with plans for modifications, including the retirement of one A350 following an accident.
