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

easyJet plc, a low-cost passenger airline, conducts operations throughout the United Kingdom and mainland Europe.  The Company sells the majority of its tickets through its Web site.

<ul>
<li>EasyJet on track for record summer performance, helped by lower fuel prices.</li>
<li>However pricing growth moderating and growth itself may be fizzling out.</li>
<li>Winter losses remain highly elevated and we publish new analysis identifying the root causes.</li>
</ul>


EasyJet on track for record summer performance, helped by lower fuel prices.
However pricing growth moderating and growth itself may be fizzling out.
Winter losses remain highly elevated and we publish new analysis identifying the root causes.


EasyJet – Lower Pricing and Fuel Costs Leave Earnings Forecasts Intact – Winter Losses Revisited

Singapore Airlines Limited provides air transportation, engineering, pilot training, air charter, and tour wholesaling services. The Company's airline operation covers Asia, Europe, the Americas, South West Pacific, and Africa.

<ul>
<li>We expect Singapore Airlines to report a disappointing 4Q24 on 15 May, as earnings normalisation continues.</li>
<li>Inflationary pressure is a key theme at SIA, with it suffering one of the highest levels of inflation in the APAC region.</li>
<li>Our forecasts for FY25, which suggest further earnings normalisation, are c.20% below consensus at the operating level.</li>
</ul>


We expect Singapore Airlines to report a disappointing 4Q24 on 15 May, as earnings normalisation continues.
Inflationary pressure is a key theme at SIA, with it suffering one of the highest levels of inflation in the APAC region.
Our forecasts for FY25, which suggest further earnings normalisation, are c.20% below consensus at the operating level.


Singapore Airlines – 4Q Likely to Extend the Theme of Earnings Normalization as FY25 Comes into View

Deutsche Lufthansa Aktiengesellschaft provides passenger and cargo air transportation services worldwide. The Company offers flight and connection programs in North America, Scandinavia, and Asia. Deutsche Lufthansa also provides travel agency, catering, and aircraft maintenance services.

<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

Latam Airlines Group SA / Equity Bottom-Up

LATAM Airlines Group S.A. is an airline that provides both domestic and international flight services.  The Company provides passenger and cargo services to destinations in Chile, South America, the Caribbean, Europe, North America, and the Pacific.  LATAM Airlines operates passenger aircraft and cargo freighters.

<ul>
<li>LATAM Group surprised the market with strong guidance for 2024 earnings growth following upgrades through 2023. We raise our 2024 EBITDAR 14% to $2.8bn.</li>
<li>A successful restructuring under Chapter 11, and market leadership in key regions, is paying off for LATAM as demand remains robust.</li>
<li>Such a strong recovery positions it to make further strategic gains, particularly with the risk that competitor GOL must shrink its fleet through its own CH11 processs.</li>
</ul>


LATAM Group surprised the market with strong guidance for 2024 earnings growth following upgrades through 2023. We raise our 2024 EBITDAR 14% to $2.8bn.
A successful restructuring under Chapter 11, and market leadership in key regions, is paying off for LATAM as demand remains robust.
Such a strong recovery positions it to make further strategic gains, particularly with the risk that competitor GOL must shrink its fleet through its own CH11 processs.


LATAM Group - Strong Momentum and Strategic Opportunities

International Consolidated Airlines Group / Equity Bottom-Up

International Consolidated Airlines Group S.A. provides transportation services. The Company offers international and domestic air passenger and cargo transportation services. International Consolidated Airlines Group serves customers worldwide.

International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG LN)

International Consolidated Airlines Group

<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

Neil Glynn, FCA, CFA, is Founder and Managing Director of AIR Control Tower.

Neil has near to 20 years of aviation experience, based in Dublin and London, including the roles of Credit Officer at CIT Aerospace and head of global transport equity research at Credit Suisse. 

The quality of Neil’s industry-leading research and forecasting across the value chain is long-recognized by investors (long track record of top tier placing in Institutional investor European Transport analyst survey; ranked #3 in last survey in 2021) and corporates (regular management team/board workshops, conference presentations around the world). 

Neil has also led 10 initial public offering (IPO) processes, assessing the investment case of corporates seeking to attract new investors.