The Lufthansa group, intervened by the German State, registered a net loss of 325 million euros in the first six months, 82% below the figure for the same period of the previous year, after an increase in income.
In a statement, the German airline group Lufthansa highlighted that in the second quarter it had already recorded profits, specifically from €259 millioncompared to a loss of 756 million euros a year earlier.
The group stated that it reduced operating losses to 300 million euros, 86% less than in the first half of 2021, that revenues increased to 13,825 million euros (+140%) and that demand for airline tickets remains strong.
Chief Executive Carsten Spohr said at the presentation of the accounts that airlines around the world are at “their operating limits” but was optimistic about the future.
The number of passengers carried by the group’s airlines quadrupled in the first half of the year to 40 million passengers (10 million a year ago), of which 29 million in the second quarter (against seven million between April and June 2021).
Due to higher demand, the group of airlines increased its capacity and in the second quarter offered 74% of the flights it had before the pandemic and reached a flight load factor of 80%, almost as high as before the pandemic. pandemic (83% in 2019).
The group mentioned the good operating result of the Swiss airline Swiss of €45 million in the first half (compared to a loss of €383 million a year earlier) due to strong demand and restructuring measures.
The result in cargo transport remains at record levels due to problems in the maritime transport of goods.
The results of aircraft maintenance and repair services subsidiary Lufthansa Technik also improved as demand for these services increased following the recovery in global air traffic.
The Lufthansa Group awaits hire 5,000 new employees in the second half of the year because it is expanding flights, mainly pilots and cabin crew at Eurowings and Eurowings Discover, ground staff at airports, employees at Lufthansa Technik and the catering division of LSG.
It also expects a similar number of new hires in 2023.
Lufthansa hopes that the demand for plane tickets remains high for the rest of the year and mentioned that reserves from August to December are, on average, at 83% of the pre-crisis level.
Despite the need to cancel some flights to stabilize operations, the carrier continues to increase capacity in line with demand and expects to deliver approximately 80% of pre-crisis capacity in the third quarter.
The group expects, by 2022, to offer 75% of pre-pandemic passenger flights and an operating profit of 500 million euros, despite the uncertainty about the global economy and geopolitical tensions, as well as the evolution of the pandemic.
Source: Observadora
