Lufthansa confirms outlook despite uncertainties

The German airline Lufthansa is confirming its growth forecast for the current year with an operating result above last year's despite trade tensions, but is prepared to reduce capacity if demand falls in the coming months. Fears of a recession and the impact it would have on travel demand are alarming airlines. Lufthansa is the first European airline to publish quarterly results and follows US airlines which, in the midst of the trade war between the US and Europe, have revised down their forecasts for the year due to excessive uncertainty.

However, the carrier warns that 'macroeconomic uncertainties, in particular trade tensions between the US, the EU and other regions, make it difficult to make accurate forecasts for the coming quarters,' the German flag carrier said in a statement, confirming its growth forecasts despite the fact that 'visibility for the third quarter remains limited'.

The airline group said that demand in the US continues to grow. In March, the airline group transported about 25 per cent more passengers from the US to Europe than in the previous year.

In the first three months of 2025, Lufthansa reported a net loss of €885 million compared to a red of €734 million in the same period last year (-21%) and an EBIT of €722 million in line with analysts' forecasts. Total revenue rose by 10% to EUR 8.127 billion in the quarter with 24.3 million passengers carried.

The process of integrating Ita Airways into the Lufthansa group, completed last 17 January with the acquisition of 41% of the Italian carrier with an outlay of 325 million euros, continues: since March it has been possible to accumulate miles in the Miles & More programme by flying with Ita, passengers of both companies have access to the lounges of the two carriers, and Ita Airways flights are code-shared to Munich and Frankfurt. Ita Airways, as a group company, appears in the operating result from investments, which in the first quarter was negative 38 million euros from 13 million last year, "This result includes the joint venture Sun Experss and for the first time the negative pro rata result of the Ita Airways component.