Founder & Managing Director, AIR Control Tower, AIR Control Tower

Neil Glynn

Founder & Managing Director, AIR Control Tower

AIR Control Tower

AIR Control Tower is an independent research and analysis platform. Its mission is to provide impactful insight and analysis across the global airline industry at a company and market level via detailed financial models to aid decision making for key stake holders at a time when risks have seldom, if ever, been higher and the global sector grapples with the imperative of funding de-carbonisation. Unique analysis forecasting global carrier-level earnings/cash flows, and restructuring/de-leveraging prospects, is designed to dynamically assess the health of the industry, predict surprises and identify potential requirements for third party support.

Insights on the global airline industry

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Given events in the Middle East and associated risks for oil prices, we publish a quick guide to the 2024 earnings sensitivity to fuel price increases for the European airlines.</li>
<li>Rising fuel prices pose starkest risk to Lufthansa earnings, and it has just profit warned due to strike costs, which leave it needing a record 2H to meet guidance.</li>
<li>Ryanair is comfortably most insulated given margin and balance sheet strength.</li>
</ul>


Given events in the Middle East and associated risks for oil prices, we publish a quick guide to the 2024 earnings sensitivity to fuel price increases for the European airlines.
Rising fuel prices pose starkest risk to Lufthansa earnings, and it has just profit warned due to strike costs, which leave it needing a record 2H to meet guidance.
Ryanair is comfortably most insulated given margin and balance sheet strength.


European Airlines - Assessing Fuel Price Risk to Earnings

International Airlines Group / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>We publish quarterly earnings bridges through 1Q-4Q24 for Air France-KLM, IAG and Lufthansa, which illustrate 1Q will be difficult yoy.</li>
<li>This renders forward commentary extremely important and summer pricing prospects are encouraging. Delta kicks off airline reporting season globally on 10 April and is likely to set a bullish tone</li>
<li>However the European low cost carriers easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air are seeing greater earnings momentum than the flag carriers given short haul fare strength.</li>
</ul>


We publish quarterly earnings bridges through 1Q-4Q24 for Air France-KLM, IAG and Lufthansa, which illustrate 1Q will be difficult yoy.
This renders forward commentary extremely important and summer pricing prospects are encouraging. Delta kicks off airline reporting season globally on 10 April and is likely to set a bullish tone
However the European low cost carriers easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air are seeing greater earnings momentum than the flag carriers given short haul fare strength.


European Airlines – Bridging Flag Carrier 1Q24 and 2024 Prospects

<ul>
<li>Following AF-KLM and IAG results we refresh our forecasts, and our detailed quarterly bridge analysis in 2024 suggests each can grow earnings this year.</li>
<li>IAG clearly differentiates itself from AF-KLM with strong FCF generation while AF-KLM is unlikely to generate positive FCF before 2025 as it pays obligations deferred through COVID.</li>
<li>​Lufthansa continues to appear highest risk in 2024 given as capacity restoration catches up with peers.</li>
</ul>


Following AF-KLM and IAG results we refresh our forecasts, and our detailed quarterly bridge analysis in 2024 suggests each can grow earnings this year.
IAG clearly differentiates itself from AF-KLM with strong FCF generation while AF-KLM is unlikely to generate positive FCF before 2025 as it pays obligations deferred through COVID.
​Lufthansa continues to appear highest risk in 2024 given as capacity restoration catches up with peers.


European Airlines – FCF the Key Differentiator Between AF-KLM and IAG

<ul>
<li>We are most ahead of consensus for IAG in 2024, and recognising Lufthansa's highest-in-group double-digit capacity growth rate in 2024 may render its earnings most difficult to forecast/vulnerable to disappointment.</li>
<li>For AF-KLM 2024 seems a crucial year to demonstrate it can grow earnings in more challenging conditions if it is to increase confidence it can reach near-€4bn EBIT by 2028.</li>
<li>Delta reports 2023 results today, and its outlook commentary will be important to frame 1Q24 prospects on the Transatlantic, which should encourage that 2024 will prove resilient.</li>
</ul>


We are most ahead of consensus for IAG in 2024, and recognising Lufthansa's highest-in-group double-digit capacity growth rate in 2024 may render its earnings most difficult to forecast/vulnerable to disappointment.
For AF-KLM 2024 seems a crucial year to demonstrate it can grow earnings in more challenging conditions if it is to increase confidence it can reach near-€4bn EBIT by 2028.
Delta reports 2023 results today, and its outlook commentary will be important to frame 1Q24 prospects on the Transatlantic, which should encourage that 2024 will prove resilient.


European Airlines - Bridging Quarterly 2024 Prospects Encourages with Fuel Tailwinds/Tight Supply

European Event-Driven Analyst

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

Event-Driven

International Airlines Group / Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>IAG Presents better than expected Q4 2022 results and announces that it will acquire the remaining 80% of Air Europa for €400 million in a cash and shares deal.</li>
<li>The purchase price implies valuing 100% of Air Europa at €500 million, which is in line with expectations and is half of the €1,000 million agreed in November 2019.</li>
<li>Air Europa and IAG finally reach an agreement and clear an uncertainty. It makes strategic sense to create a larger intercontinental hub between Europe and Latin America in Madrid,</li>
</ul>


IAG Presents better than expected Q4 2022 results and announces that it will acquire the remaining 80% of Air Europa for €400 million in a cash and shares deal.
The purchase price implies valuing 100% of Air Europa at €500 million, which is in line with expectations and is half of the €1,000 million agreed in November 2019.
Air Europa and IAG finally reach an agreement and clear an uncertainty. It makes strategic sense to create a larger intercontinental hub between Europe and Latin America in Madrid,


United Kingdom

International Consolidated Airlines Group S.A. (IAG) is a British-Spanish multinational airline holding company. It provides passenger and cargo air transportation services, operating major airline brands such as British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling, and LEVEL. The company was formed in January 2011 and has its corporate headquarters in London, UK, with its registered office in Madrid, Spain.

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International Airlines Group (IAG LN)

European Airlines - Assessing Fuel Price Risk to Earnings

Detailed historical and forward looking analysis on the European airline sector's ability to manage fuel price headwinds/volatility.

Neil Glynn

European Airlines – Bridging Flag Carrier 1Q24 and 2024 Prospects

Deep dive on quarterly earnings prospects for the European flag carriers through 2024 illustrates 1Q difficult and forward commentary crucial to...

Neil Glynn

European Airlines – FCF the Key Differentiator Between AF-KLM and IAG

Deep dive on the quarterly earnings outlook for AF-KLM and IAG which illustrates the scope for each to grow EBITDAR in 2024 despite persistent...

Neil Glynn

European Airlines - Bridging Quarterly 2024 Prospects Encourages with Fuel Tailwinds/Tight Supply

Detailed analysis of 2024 prospects for the European network carriers suggests margin resilience given fuel tailwinds and tight supply. Quarterly...

Neil Glynn

IAG Acquires Air Europa

IAG has agreed with Globalia to acquire the remaining 80% of the issued share capital of Air Europa, for an amount of €400 million. The deal is...

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

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