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?
A not quite end of year review
As we approach the end of what has been another eventful year for the aviation industry, I reflect on how things have turned out compared to my expectations at the end of 2020.
European airline CEO pay in 2020
After the worst year in history for European aviation, with plenty of pain to be shared all around, how did the airline bosses do last year?
Another set of Virgin Atlantic accounts
Only four months after the publication of their 2019 accounts, Virgin Atlantic have filed their 2020 figures. What do they show and how do they compare to those at arch-rival British Airways?
More state funds for Air France as pandemic drags on
Air France - KLM has announced new plans to try and plug the massive hole in its balance sheet caused by the pandemic. Once again, the French State is taking centre stage.
Record losses for 2020 at IAG
IAG reported record losses for its 2020 financial year. How did its figures stack up against other European airlines and what are the prospects for 2021?
Winter-sun destinations drive long-haul uptick at Heathrow in December
December passenger statistics for Heathrow demonstrated strong demand for winter sun destinations, with long-haul performance overtaking short-haul for the first time since the pandemic started.
Another rescue plan for Alitalia, does it stack up?
Another year, another government-funded rescue plan for chronically loss-making Alitalia. This time with a €3 billion price tag. Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera asked me to review the plan and this is what I told them.
A quick update on passenger volumes in Europe
Normal seasonal weakness has combined with lock-downs in Europe to deliver rock-bottom passenger volumes in November. How are the big hubs doing compared to the low-cost carriers?
Airline industry predictions for 2021
2020 has been the worst ever year for the aviation industry, but the arrival of vaccines is finally providing some grounds for optimism about 2021. What might we expect to see next year? I've made a few predictions.
Pandemic winners and losers in Latin America
Airlines in Latin America have not received the kind of state support seen in most other regions. Weaker airlines have been driven into bankruptcy and restructuring, creating opportunities for stronger ones. Who have been the winners and the losers?
Middle Eastern aviation, a turning point?
After years of huge growth and investment, the big Middle Eastern airlines are being forced to cut capacity and costs in response to the collapse in their markets. With no domestic market to fall back on, will the pandemic mark a turning point in their fortunes?
Waiting for a vaccine: the big three European network airlines in Q3
All three of the big network airline groups in Europe made big losses in the third quarter. That is going to continue until we see a recovery in demand. We got some good news on that today, but which company coped best in Q3 and how are they doing getting themselves in shape for the future?
Ryanair posts a profit for the September quarter
Excluding exceptional hedging costs, Ryanair became the first European airline to post a quarterly profit since the pandemic began. Impressive cost performance lay behind this achievement, putting other airlines on notice that they need to up their game.
Outlook for European airline revenue in Q3
As we enter the final month of the third quarter, what can we say about how much revenue Europe’s airlines are likely to have earned when they report their next quarterly results?
Virgin Atlantic rescue deal, a drop in the ocean
Next Tuesday, Virgin Atlantic’s creditors will vote on a restructuring deal aimed at avoiding the company falling into bankruptcy. What is at stake in the vote and will the changes be enough to save the company?
Europe’s big airlines clear the first hurdle
With the second quarter results now in for all the big European airlines, how well did they manage the grounding phase and what kind of financial position are they each in for the restart?
Willie Walsh’s last IAG results
Willie Walsh presented his last set of IAG results before he heads off into retirement at the start of September. How well did the team at IAG do in bringing down costs and managing cash in the face of the worst airline downturn in the history of the industry?
Bleeding out
There was much red ink on display in the big three US network carriers Q2 results. Who did the best job maximising revenue, minimising costs and stemming the cash burn?
Sweet Redemption for JetBlue
We take a look at the value opportunity for JetBlue for its loyalty program TrueBlue following the recent announcement of a strategic partnership with American Airlines.