Air traffic Lufthansa with record revenue and lower loss in the first quarter
The Lufthansa Group has started the new year with momentum. From January to March, the Group, which also includes Swiss, achieved a turnover of 8.7 billion euros. This is 8 percent more than in the same period last year and a new record for a starting quarter.
06.05.2026, 10:01
SDA
At the same time, the Lufthansa Group was able to significantly reduce its traditional loss at the start of the year. The adjusted operating loss (adj. EBIT) shrank to 612 million euros. This is a significant improvement compared to the previous year, when an operating loss of 722 million was incurred, Lufthansa wrote in a press release on Wednesday.
At the bottom line, the Group still had to accept a loss of 665 million euros. This is a quarter less than in the previous year.
At the same time, global demand for air travel remains high and is robust even in times of crisis. The Lufthansa Group therefore expects another strong travel summer, it said. "Additional impetus will come from shifts in passenger flows: against the backdrop of the crisis in the Middle East, travelers are increasingly switching from airports in the Gulf region to the Lufthansa Group's hubs."
Fuel bill much more expensive
At the same time, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is leading to a shortage of kerosene supply and thus to a significant increase in kerosene prices. This is having a considerable impact on the cost base of Lufthansa Group Airlines. Although around 80 percent of the kerosene requirement for the current year is already covered by fuel price hedging, the increased kerosene prices will lead to additional costs of EUR 1.7 billion in 2026, which would increase the fuel bill to EUR 8.9 billion.
The Group does not anticipate a fuel shortage in its home markets: "Even if no restrictions in the supply of kerosene are currently expected at any of the Lufthansa Group hubs, the possible reduced availability of fuel over the course of the year represents a further risk factor," it said.
Nevertheless, Lufthansa Group is maintaining its forecast for the full year: It aims to achieve an operating result that is significantly higher than the previous year's figure of 1.96 billion euros.
