Deutsche Lufthansa AG on Thursday reported that revenues for
the first half of 2010 grew nearly 24 percent, but noted that was not enough to
eke out a profit, as it reported an operating loss of €171 million, roughly
cutting in half its operating loss for the first half of 2009.
Lufthansa posted a €159 million operating profit for the second quarter, a
threefold improvement over the same period in 2009. "Although the
Passenger Airline Group posted an operating profit for the second quarter, the
business segment ended the first six months with a significant operating loss
of €342 million, of which €203 million were accounted for by Lufthansa
Passenger Airlines," the carrier said. Lufthansa reported net losses for
most of its passenger airline concerns, including a €70 million operating loss
for Austrian Airlines, €93 million in losses for BMI and €39 million in losses
for Germanwings. Swiss, however, earned €54 million in operating profit.
The carrier said first-half 2010 performance for its passenger airline business
was hampered by a severe winter, a strike by pilot union Vereinigung Cockpit, the
lockdown of European airspace after the volcanic activity in Iceland and what
it called a continued slump in prices.