Icelandair: capacity increased in December 2021 and reached 65% of December 2019

Total capacity increased in December 2021 and reached 65% of December 2019 capacity levels, compared to 63% of 2019 levels in November, despite negative effects of the omicron variant on travel. In 2021 the total number of Icelandair passengers was 1.46 million, an increase of 64% compared to 2020.

The total number of passengers on international and domestic flights in December 2021 was around 169,000 compared to around 25,000 in December 2020 and 285,000 in December 2019. Thereof, the total number of passengers on international flights was around 149,000. The number of passengers to Iceland was around 60,000 and from Iceland around 35,000. Via passengers were around 55,000. On-time performance was 75%.

The load factor on international flights was 71% compared to 40% in December 2020 and 81% in December 2019.

The number of passengers on domestic flights was around 19,000 compared to around 10,000 in December 2020 and 17,000 in December 2019. The domestic operation is recovering well and the number of domestic passengers in 2021 increased by 88% compared to December 2020 and exceeded the number of passengers in December 2019.

Sold block hours in charter flights increased by 15% compared to December 2020. Freight measured in Freight Tonne Kilometres increased by 23% compared to December 2020 and has increased by 24% in 2021 compared to 2020.

The total number of passengers in 2021 was around 1.46 million, an increase of 64% compared to 2020. The number of passengers to Iceland was around 670 thousand in 2021, an increase of 54% compared to the year before. Passengers from Iceland were around 157 thousand, an increase of 33% from 2020. The number of via passengers was 341 thousand in 2021, three times more than 2020.

Longer term booking status is healthy while the omicron variant has affected booking in the short term. Icelandair’s international flight schedule for January and February has been adapted to changing demand and currently stands at around 60% of 2019 capacity for January and around 65% of 2019 capacity for February.

PASSENGER FLIGHTS TOTAL DEC 21 DEC 20 CHG (%) YTD 21 YTD 20 CHG (%)
Number of Passengers 168,581 24,622 585% 1,461,446 890,905 64%
Load Factor 71.2% 41.5% 29.6 ppt 65.3% 67.2% -1.9 ppt
Available Seat KM (ASK´000,000) 660.6 86 671% 5,963 3,191 87%
Revenue Passenger KM (RPK´000,000) 470.2 36 1220% 3,895 2,144 82%
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS DEC 21 DEC 20 CHG (%) YTD 21 YTD 20 CHG (%)
To market (passengers) 60,019 6,905 769% 687,113 446,054 54%
From market (passengers) 34,687 6,861 406% 207,841 156,604 33%
Via market (passengers) 54,793 716 7553% 341,071 161,981 111%
Number of Passengers 149,499 14,482 932% 1,236,025 764,639 62%
Load Factor 71.2% 40.4% 30.8 ppt 65.2% 67.2% -2.0 ppt
Available Seat KM (ASK´000,000) 652.7 80.8 707% 5,866.0 3,136.0 87%
Revenue Passenger KM (RPK´000,000) 464.6 32.6 1323% 3,826.3 2,107.1 82%
Stage length (KM) 3,086 2,314 33% 3,110 2,757 13%
On-Time-Performance (Arrivals) 75.0% 86.0% -11.0 ppt 84.0% 85.0% -1.0 ppt
DOMESTIC FLIGHTS DEC 21 DEC 20 CHG (%) YTD 21 YTD 20 CHG (%)
Number of Passengers 19,082 10,140 88% 225,421 126,266 79%
Load Factor 70.2% 60.5% 9.7 ppt 70.4% 67.9% 2.5 ppt
Available Seat KM (ASK´000,000) 7.9 4.9 61% 97.0 54.6 78%
CHARTER AND CARGO FLIGHTS DEC 21 DEC 20 CHG (%) YTD 21 YTD 20 CHG (%)
Sold Block Hours – Charter 968 839 15% 13,492 14,180 -5%
Freight Tonne KM (FTK´000) 12,921 10,474 23% 142,713 114,956 24%