International Airlines Group reported wider first-quarter operating losses yesterday, as deepening trouble at its Spanish carrier Iberia wiped out progress at British Airways.
IAG, Europe’s third-biggest airline group by market value, made an operating loss of €278 million in the year’s first three months, traditionally weak for airlines.
The Spanish carrier contributed €202 million of that – up from €169 million a year earlier – as it suffered from competition from low-cost rivals and high-speed trains, labour disputes and a recession that has left a quarter of Spaniards out of work.
Rival European carriers Lufthansa and Air France-KLM are also slashing jobs and shelving growth plans as they grapple with high fuel prices, a weak economy and fierce competition from low-cost carriers and Middle East airlines.
IAG took a €311 million charge in the quarter for restructuring that plans to cut 3,100 jobs to return Iberia – Europe’s biggest carrier to Latin America – to profit by 2015.
That was on top of €545 million last year and while chief executive Willie Walsh said there was “more work to be done”, he said he did not expect further significant charges this year.
Liberum analyst Peter Hyde called IAG’s results a mixed bag.
“To achieve our forecast 2013 operating profit of €505 million IAG needs Iberia to restructure quickly and British Airways to leverage its market position,” he said.
BA itself broke even during the quarter, helped by strength in business and first-class traffic, excluding costs relating to the integration UK carrier BMI which it bought last year.
But IAG also suffered from the weakness of sterling against the euro and the dollar, pushing its losses up from €249 million a year ago and above the average €230 million loss forecast by analysts in a Reuters poll.
Prior to its merger with Iberia in 2011, BA faced similar problems to the Spanish carrier and responded by cutting staff, lowering salaries and offering more competitive ticket prices.
IAG said it could not provide guidance for 2013 operating profit because it was waiting for shareholder approval for its fleet replacement orders, which could impact future profits.
The airline group last month unveiled orders for 18 Airbus A350 long-haul jets and firmed up orders for 18 of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliners, on top of a previous orders for 24 of the lightweight jets.
Walsh said IAG would receive its first two Dreamliners by the end of June after deliveries were delayed by two months due to Boeing’s much-publicised battery problems.
Earlier this year Walsh said IAG would report an operating result close to the €485 million profit it delivered in 011, subject to the success of its Iberia restructuring plan.
Walsh said reports linking Qatari investment groups with the purchase of Spanish lender Bankia’s 12 per cent stake in IAG were wide of the mark. (Reuters)