Lufthansa group July passenger levels rise 12 percent, helped by BMI, rising demand

August 31st, 2009 JetBlue, Lufthansa ink codeshare dealNEW YORK — JetBlue Airways and German air carrier Lufthansa have signed a codesharing agreement following the decision by Lufthansa's parent to buy a stake in JetBlue. Codesharing allows airlines to sell seats on each other's flights.

August 28th, 2009 EU clears Lufthansa's Austrian Airlines takeoverFRANKFURT — German airline Deutsche Lufthansa AG said Friday the European Commission has approved its takeover of Austrian Airlines Group, allowing it start integrating the company in September. Cologne-based Lufthansa is taking over about 42 percent of the shares of Austrian Airlines owned by the government for about €336,000 ($480,000), according to the European Commission.

August 21st, 2009 Air passenger revenue saw big July dropWASHINGTON — Passenger revenue based on a sample group of carriers fell 21 percent in July compared with the same month a year ago, a trade group for U.S. airlines said Thursday.

August 19th, 2009 DUBAI - The Dubai International Airport saw an increase of passenger traffic in July, registering a 12.6 percent growth, the highest since May 2008, WAM news agency reported Wednesday. It is also the second consecutive month of double-digit growth in passenger traffic this year following the 10.3 percent rise in June.

August 12th, 2009 PARIS - Amid signs of a world economy now righting itself, the International Energy Agency (IEA) Wednesday raised its projections for world oil demand and output this year and in 2010. The Paris-based group said it expected demand this year to average 83.9 million barrels per day (b/d), some 190,000 b/d higher than what the IEA had projected just last month.

August 11th, 2009 China's exports, imports fall sharply in JulyBEIJING — The decline in China's imports accelerated in July despite a rise in economic growth, while exports also fell more sharply amid weak global demand, data showed Tuesday. Imports fell 14.9 percent from a year earlier, compared with a 13.2 percent decline the previous month, the customs agency reported.

July 31st, 2009 EU to OK Lufthansa bid for Austrian AirlinesBRUSSELS — The European Union's antitrust chief says she will clear Lufthansa's bid for Austrian Airlines. EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said Friday that EU governments and the European Commission would still have to formally approve the takeover.

July 30th, 2009 Lufthansa 2Q net pft falls 88 pct to euro40 millionFRANKFURT — Airline Deutsche Lufthansa AG said Thursday its second quarter profit fell 88 percent on a slump in sales — especially of lucrative first- and business-class seats — due to the global recession. The Cologne-based airline, Europe's largest by sales, earned euro40 million ($56 million) in the April-June period compared with euro337 million a year ago.

July 30th, 2009 Lufthansa 2Q net pft falls 88 pct to €40 millionFRANKFURT — Airline Deutsche Lufthansa AG said Thursday its second quarter profit fell 88 percent on a slump in sales — especially of lucrative first- and business-class seats — due to the global recession. The Cologne-based airline, Europe's largest by sales, earned €40 million ($56 million) in the April-June period compared with €337 million a year ago.

July 28th, 2009 Lufthansa seeks Austrian merger deadline extensionFRANKFURT — German airline Deutsche Lufthansa AG said Tuesday it has applied for a month-long extension to the deadline to merge with Austrian Airlines in order to fulfill certain obligations for the deal. In a brief statement, the Cologne-based airline said it had applied to the Austrian Takeover Commission for the extension — to Aug.

July 16th, 2009 New Lufthansa cost saving program sees job cutsFRANKFURT — Airline Deutsche Lufthansa AG expects to cut 400 administrative jobs at its passenger division and will reconsider its schedule of new aircraft deliveries in a bid save euro1 billion by 2011. In a letter sent to workers, Christoph Franz, the deputy chief executive, told employees that Lufthansa's losses had continued from the first quarter into the second quarter, and that the trend would continue into the second half of the year unless market conditions change.

June 24th, 2009 Lufthansa increases fuel surchargeBERLIN — Deutsche Lufthansa AG said Wednesday that it is increasing its fuel surcharge on domestic and European flights, blaming a steep rise in oil prices this year. Lufthansa said the surcharge would increase to euro24 ($34) from euro21 ($30) per flight for all tickets issued on or after July 2.

June 10th, 2009 Lufthansa May traffic falls 4.4 pct to 6 millionFRANKFURT — German airline Deutsche Lufthansa AG said Wednesday the company's group passenger levels in May fell 4.4 percent to 6 million people, as the global recession cut into demand. The Cologne-based company saw 6.3 million passengers in May 2008.

April 29th, 2009 Lufthansa 1Q net loss euro256 millionFRANKFURT — German airline Lufthansa reported a first quarter net loss of euro256 million ($339.6 million) Wednesday, as the economic crisis cut into global travel and freight volumes. Cologne-based Deutsche Lufthansa AG's loss for the January-March period compares with a net profit of euro44 million in the first quarter of 2008.

April 24th, 2009 Lufthansa says it's prepared for difficult marketFRANKFURT — Airline Deutsche Lufthansa AG said Friday it expects the current difficult operating environment to continue in 2009, but that it was well prepared for the economic turbulence and the expected consolidation in the airline industry. At the company's annual general meeting, Cologne-based Lufthansa, Germany's largest airline, reiterated the extent and duration of the current economic crisis can't be forecast.