ANALYSIS ARCHIVE
Airline Performance
-
Record revenue, shrinking profits: inside the US airlines’ $4.70 fuel squeeze
Record revenue did not protect US airlines from the fuel squeeze. American lost $269 million on $16.3 billion of revenue, while Southwest improved its margin. A comparison of…
-
Why airlines don’t report the same metrics: one quarter, three rulebooks
Airline KPIs are management metrics, not accounting rules. In the same April–June 2026 quarter, Delta, Lufthansa and Ryanair used different period labels, profit measures and unit-cost yardsticks, so…
-
What actually makes an airline profitable? The economics behind RASK, CASK and margin
Airline profitability depends on the gap between revenue and the full cost of capacity. RASK and CASK explain the operating spread; margin, cash generation and capital returns show…
-
Growth Quality Monitor: which European airlines are actually turning capacity into profit?
In the April–June 2026 quarter, IAG, Air France-KLM and Lufthansa held or cut capacity and raised unit revenue; Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air grew faster and all saw…
-
Three low-cost models, one fuel shock: Ryanair, IndiGo and Southwest compared
Europe's, India's and America's biggest low-cost airlines reported the same April–June quarter and faced the same fuel spike. Ryanair cut fares and leaned on its hedges; IndiGo and…
-
One quarter, three outcomes: Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air in the June quarter
Europe's three largest low-cost carriers flew through the same April–June 2026 quarter and all three saw unit revenue fall. Ryanair still earned a 13.1% operating margin, easyJet 3.5%,…
-
AirAsia at a crossroads: Malaysia drafts contingency plans as financial pressure mounts on its dominant carrier
Malaysia's government has quietly asked Malaysia Airlines and Batik Air whether they could absorb AirAsia's routes. AirAsia Group Berhad just posted an RM830.5 million quarterly loss and carries…
-
Europe’s next airline shakeout: who survives, who gets bought, and who gains
Ryanair and IAG look best positioned among Europe's major airline groups. Norse Atlantic shows clear financial warning signs, airBaltic has already entered restructuring, and Lufthansa and Air France-KLM…
-
Europe’s airlines face a prolonged profit squeeze if oil stays above $100
European airlines could keep growing revenue while earning less if oil stays above $100. Hedges buy time, but the outlook depends on whether fares can rise fast enough—and…
-
airBaltic at a crossroads: a strong airline trapped by a weak balance sheet
airBaltic just posted record revenue and cleared its worst fleet problem, yet on 15 September its bondholders vote on lending it up to €257 million at 25% interest…