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We employ a global team of highly-experienced analysts who deliver a wealth of commentary about the aviation and travel industry. Our analysts don’t just report the news, they look at the big picture to help you understand how the latest news, issues and trends will affect your business. CAPA’s commitment to independence and integrity means every report is filled with accurate data and actionable insights to help you stay ahead of the game.
Airline seat capacity to/from/within Europe is set to be 101.7% of 2019 levels in 4Q2024, according to data from CAPA - Centre for Aviation/OAG. This will be the third successive quarter above 2019 levels, but the trend has been little more than flat since 2Q2024 when the 100% threshold was first breached.
Intercontinental markets to/from Europe are set to reach 105.6% in 4Q (up from 102.2% in 3Q), with intra-Europe at 100.3% (down from 101.3% in 3Q). Low cost airlines continue to grow their seat share in Europe, recovering more strongly from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The fairly static capacity picture is the result of ongoing supply chain constraints. Logic would suggest that this should be good news for yields. Indeed, air fare inflation was positive once more in both the EU and the UK in Aug-2024, after three months of falling prices. However, it is too early to extrapolate from one month of data.
SWOT Analysis – Corporación América Airports S.A., a powerful force in LatinAm now looking to expand
Corporación América Airports has been around for decades, although it is still better known by the name of the division Aeropuertos Argentina, the first one, which came along when an ailing textile company was looking for, and found, the main chance.
It is fair to say that it is not too well known outside South America, despite having airport assets in Italy and Armenia and pitching for others in Europe at the present time.
Its Argentinean division, and the one in Brazil that looks after the capital's airport there, are the primary drivers of the business.
But latterly it has been looking to expand in Africa, which can be dangerous territory for the uninitiated.
Its financial affairs appear to be in good order, and are strengthening in each reporting period after the COVID-19 pandemic.
A SWOT analysis reveals that it has more strengths than weaknesses, and the opportunities/threats trade-off will mainly be influenced by its attempted excursions into Africa.
Two years after its privatisation, Air India is making good progress on the initiatives launched by its new owner, Tata Group, to overhaul the airline and set it up for dramatic expansion.
Air India attracted significant attention in 2023 when it placed orders for 470 aircraft. Although this move highlighted its long-term aspirations, there has also been a lot of work under way on shorter term projects - such as merging with other Tata airlines, upgrading the existing fleet, and building new training and maintenance facilities.
There is undoubtedly huge growth potential in the Indian market. However, Air India has to improve in many areas to take advantage of this, CEO Campbell Wilson said during the CAPA Airline Leader Summit Australia Pacific held in Brisbane on 12-Sep-2024.
Tata "bought an airline [in 2022] that had been under government ownership for 70 years and had not had the investment it needed," Mr Wilson said. "The last two years has been about stabilising [the airline], because it was in terminal decline."
Air India's efforts have been aimed at halting this decline, and putting the right foundations in place to support its growth strategy.
Improving the cabin product has been a priority - via new deliveries, leases and retrofit programmes. And the mergers that are poised for completion will streamline the group's airline operations, allowing for more efficient expansion.
Fraport’s Delhi exit: what it means for Indian airport investment as next concession stage nears
It was 18 years ago that the first concessions were made available on the largest Indian airports to domestic and foreign operators. Those operators at first queued up to get a piece of the action, until the government began meddling in the T&Cs, and some withdrew.
The biggest prize of all, a slug of Delhi International Airport, went to Germany's Fraport, but it amounted to only 10% - something that has embarrassed the operator, because beyond its role of airport manager it has been unable to assert strategic influence.
Having hummed and hawed for over a decade about what to do, Fraport has now sold that stake to the majority shareholder GMR, increasing its stake to 74%, with Airports Authority of India owning the remainder.
While Fraport is unlikely to walk away from India altogether, the winner in this is GMR. GMR has been somewhat resurgent lately, with several irons in the fire, mainly abroad, and it thereby retains some gravitas in the country as the primary concessionaire at the capital's main airport.
This puts it in a better position to fight off the challenge from the aggressive 'New Kid on the Block', Adani Airports, which is positioning itself to be the number one operator within India while also now attempting to invest in or acquire and develop foreign assets as well.
The next big hurdle for all concerned is the long overdue third concession tranche, which could be up to 13 airports, with even more to follow later in subsequent ones.
That will assuredly sort out the men from the boys.
In early Sep-2024 Lufthansa launched a new service from Munich to Johannesburg. This takes the airline's South Africa network to a total of four routes in the coming northern winter season, which is more than any other airline in the Europe-South Africa market.
However, British Airways is the biggest operator by seats in this market.
Its capacity is over 60% greater than the next two, KLM and Lufthansa. The withdrawal of South African Airways and three other smaller operators since the pandemic has given the remaining leading airlines a higher seat share, but the market has shrunk. Europe-South Africa capacity in 2024 is scheduled to be only 77% of its 2019 level.
The market had enjoyed a period of resurgence in the three years before COVID-19, raising hopes of a more dynamic market environment after little growth before that.
The weak recovery since the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates that these hopes are taking time to be fulfilled. Europe-South Africa needs South African Airways to return some day.
Turkish Airlines (THY): Sydney to be its second Australia destination; nonstops to follow
Turkish Airlines (THY) is to add Sydney as a second destination in Australia, starting on 4-Dec-2024, just over nine months after launching flights to Melbourne.
It will deploy A350-900 aircraft on its four times weekly service to Sydney from its Istanbul hub, via a stopover in Kuala Lumpur.
Melbourne is served three times weekly via Singapore, also with the A350-900.
THY will join British Airways as only the second European airline serving Sydney, but it will have two destinations in Australia to British Airways' one.
THY has also earmarked Sydney to be its first nonstop destination in the future, but without saying exactly when. This will likely only happen after its Airbus A350-1000 deliveries start in 2028, allowing Qantas to be the first nonstop operator between Europe and Australia when it receives the same aircraft in 2026.
After many years of unrealised plans to add Australia to its network, THY is making a considerable impact on the Europe-Australia market in 2024.
The varying fortunes of three UK regional airports post COVID; part three: Teesside + Observations
As the COVID-19 pandemic fades in the memory (it is still very active though), and the post-pandemic 'revenge travel' boom peaks with warnings that it can't be sustained, this report looks at three regional UK airports and the diverse circumstances in which they are currently working.
Teesside Airport has always found the going difficult, sandwiched between other, larger airports, in a post-industrial region that hasn't adapted as well as others to new industries, and abandoned by private sector owners.
But it has just made its first profit in a long time, it has consolidated a business park, and has the infrastructure in place on which airlines can make new route and expansion decisions.
Part one of this three-part report set the scene and explored London City Airport, while part two looked at Leeds Bradford Airport. Here, in part three, we consider Teesside Airport and make some observations.
As the COVID-19 pandemic fades in the memory (it is still very active though), and the post-pandemic 'revenge travel' boom peaks with warnings that it can't be sustained, this report looks at three regional UK airports and the diverse circumstances in which they are currently working.
Leeds Bradford Airport, in the north of England, serves a city that is big in the financial sector but which, living in the shadow of Manchester Airport and with competition on all side, hasn't been able to secure bread and butter European business routes. It has had to rely on the home-based LCC Jet2.com to deliver the goods.
It has just published its 'Vision 2030' document of infrastructure development and big route ambitions, but growth is probably more likely to come from incumbent airlines.
Part one of this three-part report set the scene and explored London City Airport. Here, in part two, we consider Leeds Bradford Airport.
The varying fortunes of three UK regional airports post COVID; part one: Intro + London City
As the COVID-19 pandemic fades in the memory (it is still very active though), and the post-pandemic 'revenge travel' boom peaks with warnings that it can't be sustained, this report looks at three regional UK airports and the diverse circumstances in which they are currently working.
London City Airport filled a niche as a business travel-focused facility that has few peers around the world. It has performed better than expected, and has changed hands twice - on both occasions at a huge profit to the seller.
But latterly it has come under increasing pressure, not only from its traditional enemies (politicians and climate activists), but also from other airports, rail services, and an unholy alliance between them.
Although it has just won a key expansion battle, one senses that (unlike Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games) the odds are not forever in its favour.
Part one of this three-part report sets the scene and explores London City Airport.
LEVEL, the long haul low cost brand of IAG, is progressing its application for its own air operator's certificate (AOC) - more than seven years after its launch in 2017.
During that time Iberia aircraft and crew have operated its routes from Barcelona to the Americas on its behalf. From 2018 to 2020, other IAG subsidiaries also operated LEVEL-branded flights on trans Atlantic routes from Paris Orly, and even on short haul routes from Vienna.
In 1H024 LEVEL was IAG's fastest growing airline brand by ASKs, with an increase of 19.1% (versus group growth of 7.5%). Its 94.8% load factor was also the group's highest.
Over seven years LEVEL has consolidated its position as Barcelona and Spain's leading long haul LCC, and has given IAG more options on the North and South Atlantic.
As it matures with its own AOC, there is scope for it to consider new markets.