- Lufthansa Group carried 12,561,000 passengers in June 2026, down 2.8pc year-on-year and 7pc below pre-pandemic levels
- Adjusted EBIT for Q2 2026 fell to €383m from €870m in Q2 2025, below analyst consensus of €401m
- Full-year 2026 adjusted EBIT forecast ranges between €1.7bn and €2.2bn, down from prior guidance above €1.96bn
- Fuel costs are projected at €8.66bn with 86pc of 2026 fuel needs hedged against price volatility
- The airline will retire Airbus A340-600 aircraft and temporarily ground two Boeing 747-400s from winter 2026
Lufthansa Group quarterly results show adjusted EBIT fell to €383m in the second quarter of 2026 from €870m in the same period of 2025, a figure that slightly underperformed the €401m projected by analysts in a company-compiled consensus.
Lufthansa now projects an adjusted EBIT range of €1.7bn to €2.2bn for the full year 2026, citing heightened uncertainty from high kerosene price volatility connected to the US-Iran war. The company had previously forecast adjusted EBIT to come in significantly above the prior-year level of €1.96bn, but fuel costs at €8.66bn have exceeded earlier projections of €8.9bn. Capacity declined by approximately 3pc in the second quarter, partly attributable to April strike days, though capacity planning for the year remains unchanged.
The company plans to retire or temporarily ground several aircraft to streamline operations, reduce fuel consumption and limit exposure to unhedged fuel costs. This strategy includes the early retirement of fuel-intensive long-haul aircraft such as the Airbus A340-600 and the temporary grounding of two Boeing 747-400s from the start of the winter flight schedule. The company has confirmed that 86pc of its fuel needs for 2026 are covered by hedging. European airlines including Aer Lingus, British Airways-owner IAG and Air France-KLM have experienced similar cost pressures despite extensive hedging, and both companies are planning to trim capacity in response to the fallout from the war in Iran.
The group recorded 12,561,000 passengers for June 2026, a figure that represents a 2.8pc decrease compared with June 2025 and a 7pc decline against pre-pandemic levels.
The rolling annual total of 134.3m passengers shows a 1.47pc increase on the twelve months ending June 2025, yet the six-month figure of 60.7m passengers for January to June 2026 reflects a 1.1pc drop on the first six months of 2025. The pilots’ union Vereinigung Cockpit and cabin crew union UFO conducted strike action in April 2026, and this industrial action produced an 8.2pc reduction in group passenger numbers for that month, with Frankfurt airport recording an 11pc year-on-year decline in monthly passenger figures.
The Lufthansa Group operates a multi-hub strategy consisting of five core network carriers, a direct point-to-point airline, and several regional, holiday, and cargo subsidiaries.
Chief executive Carsten Spohr shared “Today, we reflect on a challenging second quarter that was once again marked by multiple geopolitical crises and uncertainties.” Chief executive Carsten Spohr shared “Despite our further improvement in load factor and a significant increase in yield, we were unable to fully offset the considerable rise in fuel costs.”
Core airlines
- Lufthansa: The flagship flag carrier of Germany, based primarily out of hubs at Frankfurt Airport and Munich Airport.
- SWISS (Swiss International): The national carrier of Switzerland, operating out of Zurich.
- Austrian: The national carrier of Austria, operating out of Vienna.
- Brussels: The national carrier of Belgium, based in Brussels.
- ITA: The national carrier of Italy (formerly Alitalia), which is fully integrated into the group’s network airlines.
Other carriers and subsidiaries:
- Eurowings: The value and low-cost subsidiary focused on short- and medium-haul routes throughout Europe.
- Discover Airlines: The group’s dedicated holiday and leisure carrier based in Germany.
- Edelweiss Air: A premier Swiss holiday and leisure airline operating in close coordination with SWISS.
- Air Dolomiti: A regional Italian airline providing feeder flights to the Frankfurt and Munich hubs.
- Lufthansa CityLine: A regional subsidiary operating domestic and European hub feeder flights.
- Lufthansa City Airlines: A newly launched regional airline operating short- and medium-haul routes.
- Lufthansa Cargo: A major international air freight carrier operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary.
- SunExpress: A leisure airline operating flights between Germany and Turkey, managed as a 50/50 joint venture with Turkish
