Full year Heathrow passenger figures for 2022
We now have the final passenger number figures for Heathrow in 2022. How did they compare to forecasts and what might be achieved in 2023?
How comparable are aircraft ownership and maintenance costs across airlines?
We often see big differences in aircraft ownership and maintenance costs between airlines. How much of this is driven by different accounting policies and by choices about how to finance the aircraft?
End of year review
A look back on the aviation industry in 2022 and some speculations about next year.
Assessing Q3 performance from the European LCCs
Ryanair reported bumper profits of €1.4 billion for its September quarter yesterday. How well did its results stack up against the other European low-cost airlines?
European airline groups back to profit in Q3
The big three European network airlines groups reported their first solid profits for three years in the third quarter. Which of their airline brands are doing the best?
Heathrow: the hedge fund with an airport attached
Heathrow's results for the 9 months ending September 2022 showed a profit before tax of £643m. But the management preferred to focus on the "adjusted" loss before tax of £442m. So is the airport making lots of money, or is it heavily loss-making? I took a look.
Heathrow: taking stock after the pandemic
What kind of shape is Western Europe's biggest hub in as it emerges from the pandemic? Was it a relative winner, or a loser? And what are the prospects now of proceeding with the long-delayed third runway project?
Normalising Q2 results for fuel and emissions hedging
Fuel hedging policies had a dramatic impact on Q2 airline results in Europe. Which airlines delivered the best results? And how much of that was down to hedging policies?
Massive losses at Wizz
All three of the big European low-cost airlines reported their June quarter results this week. Despite the company's attempts to present a positive picture, the figures from Wizz were truly awful.
The impact of higher fuel and emissions costs on air fares and demand
Will higher fuel and emissions costs be passed on to customers in higher fares? If so, what will be the consequences for demand, capacity and market share?
Drowning in money
How much money did private testing suppliers make from COVID? Recently released results from market leader Randox provide some clues.
Lies, damn lies and statistics
Ryanair and Wizz claim to have “industry leading” seat factors. Is that really the case, or is it just down to differences in the way they report the figures?
Qatar Airways returns to profit
Qatar Airways surprised many people by reporting a $1.55 billion pre-tax profit for their financial year ending in March 2022. With almost every airline in the world recording losses due to the pandemic, how did they do it?
A performance comparison of the European LCCs
Back in 2020, I analysed the relative performance of the three big European low-cost carriers in the final 12 months before the pandemic hit. With all three having now reported figures up to March 2022, I revisited my analysis to see what had changed.
European airline winners and losers from the pandemic
As the fog starts to clear on the airline recovery, which airlines are emerging from the pandemic as winners and how well did market analysts do early on in predicting who that would be?
Heathrow passenger numbers rebound in April
Heathrow's April passenger numbers hit 75% of pre-pandemic levels, but it is still telling its regulator that it will achieve only 65% for the full year and needs higher charges. Airlines were not impressed.
Big losses announced at easyJet
Despite clocking up another £0.5 billion of losses over the last six months, things are finally starting to look up for easyJet on the demand side, enabling it to begin to close the gap in performance that opened up against its rivals during the pandemic.
Virgin versus British Airways - who did better in 2021?
Virgin Atlantic has published a pre-tax loss figure of £594m for 2021. How did its performance compare to that of arch-rival, British Airways?
New trading guidance from Ryanair
Ryanair issued new guidance for its full year ending March 2022 today. The headline loss of between €350m and €400m still makes grim reading, but figures for March suggest that things may finally be looking up.
Will the oil price hike derail the airline recovery?
Just as airlines were beginning to see a strong recovery in bookings, will inflated fuel costs derail the long hoped for recovery in profitability?