Finnair’s Mixed Q3: Asia Growth vs. Strikes and North Atlantic Slump

Finnair, Finland’s national carrier and largest full-service airline, has revealed its Q3 2025 results. The report showed a mixed performance driven by strong growth in Asian markets, which was offset by challenges in the North Atlantic region and a series of industrial actions.

Revenue climbed 2 percent from last year to €834.9 million ($958.6 million), but profitability weakened, with a comparable operating profit of €50.7 million ($58.2 million), down 29 percent year-over-year.

Asia remained the company’s strongest region, with available seat kilometers (ASK) up 10.6 percent and revenue up 11.3 percent, driven by high passenger demand, especially on routes to Japan.

Meanwhile, North Atlantic operations struggled, with revenue down 1.7 percent and load factors dropping nearly 10 percentage points to 76 percent, reflecting weaker demand.

Due to these headwinds, Finnair revised its 2025 outlook, now forecasting a comparable operating profit of €30–€60 million ($34–$69 million) on sales of around €3.1 billion, compared with earlier projections of up to €3.4 billion ($3.9 billion).

During the summer of 2025, strikes organized by the Finnish Aviation Union (IAU) significantly disrupted ground handling operations at Helsinki Airport, Finnair’s primary hub. The airline estimated the strikes cost approximately €18 million ($20.7 million), forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights and causing logistical challenges.

Check out our explainer to learn more about airline strikes and their impact on travel and business operations.

Photo by Kevin Hackert on Unsplash