Transported a staggering 3.7 million travelers during the previous year
Icelandair, the flag carrier airline of Iceland, has shown signs of recovery in its operations following the Covid-19 pandemic, according to available data. The airline carried 233,500 passengers on both domestic and international flights in December 2022, a significant increase from the 168,500 passengers in the same month the previous year.
The load factor on both domestic and international flights also increased, with the domestic load factor standing at 73%, compared to 70% in December 2021, and the international load factor reaching 73%, compared to 71% in the same month the previous year.
However, the airline's capacity has yet to reach pre-pandemic levels. In December 2022, Icelandair operated at 91% of its 2019 capacity, indicating a gradual but ongoing recovery.
The freight measured in Freight Ton Kilometers remained around the same as in December 2021, suggesting a stable performance in the cargo sector. Additionally, sold block hours in charter flights increased by 13% in December 2022, indicating a growing demand for charter services.
While the data suggests a positive trend, the specific impact of weather disruptions on Icelandair's flight schedule and punctuality in December 2022 is not explicitly documented. Given Iceland's challenging winter weather, it is common for airlines there to face occasional weather-related delays or disruptions. In December 2022, extreme weather in Iceland significantly affected Icelandair's on time performance, load factor, and overall operation.
Comparatively, another Icelandic airline, Play, has shown rapid growth in passengers and load factors from 2021 through 2024, but it is a separate low-cost competitor to Icelandair.
In conclusion, Icelandair's passenger numbers have generally been increasing since the pandemic years, but specific figures or performance details for December 2022, as well as the exact impact of weather disruptions, are not provided in the available sources. For precise data, Icelandair’s official traffic reports or industry performance summaries from that period would be needed.
Economic indicators for Icelandair, the national airline of Iceland, indicate a steady improvement, with a notable rise in passenger traffic in December 2022 compared to the same month in 2021. Despite this, the industry's finance department reported that extreme weather in Iceland during December 2022 had a significant impact on the airline's weather-sensitive aviation operations, affecting its on-time performance, load factor, and overall operation.
