So this is happening: A major international airline faces a blockade. We admit it—this is a new one for us, with little to no history as a guide. Nonetheless, Qatar Airways faces a travel and trade embargo from four nearby...
Read MoreRyanair was one of just three individual airlines in Europe to post an operating profit in the first quarter. The success came not only by way of the airline’s juggernaut of a business model, but also because Ryanair was one...
Read MoreHaving just weathered a once-in-a-generation economic crisis, the airlines of South America just enjoyed a smooth first quarter. All the major South American airlines profited, and some even posted margins to brag about. But in Mexico, things were miserable. All...
Read MoreThe earnings picture for U.S. carriers in the first quarter was much worse than last year’s Q1—but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t good. It was indeed good—and good is good. Their success comes while wrestling with rising labor and fuel...
Read MoreDelta saw its operating profit margin slashed severely in the first quarter compared to last year’s Q1. Nonetheless there are plenty of reasons to smile—that’s how good things are at Delta right now—including beating rival United Airlines, which posted a...
Read MoreThe merger of Alaska Airlines and Virgin American is now well under way and begs the question: How is the integration taking shape? In a word: rosy. Of course, Alaska will be sacrificing the Virgin brand. But Alaska’s management says...
Read MoreWhen is a $2 billion annual profit disappointing? Answer: When you’re a giant airline group like Lufthansa, and $2 billion amounts to a mere 5% operating margin—and that lackluster result comes despite fuel costs dropping 16% year over year. But...
Read MoreOnce again we consider the ongoing demand problems in Turkey. The numbers are in, and they’re not pretty. Turkish Airlines posted a $300 million loss in 2016. Pegasus Airlines chipped another $50 million loss, a comparably bad number. But there...
Read MoreWith its fourth quarter results and a standout 2016, IAG, the airline group that includes British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus and Vueling, continues to separate itself from the other two members of Europe’s Big Three airline groups. And leading the...
Read MoreAir France/KLM had some good news in 2016. For one thing, its Transavia unit broke even. Also, KLM made a decent profit. But the story is rather disappointing from there, with the group posting a mere 4% operating margin for...
Read MoreEurope certainly has its share of struggling airlines, but Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air are not among them. And for Ryanair and Wizz, fourth quarter earnings simply topped off a triumphant 2016. (easyJet has yet to report on its fourth...
Read MoreJapan Airlines is enjoying a charmed life right now. How good is it? In 2016, JAL was the most profitable of the large global airlines outside the U.S. All Nippon Airlines is also doing pretty well. ANA has narrowed the...
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