Return of the business traveller and cargo growth fuels financial results for BA, Iberia

Leading European airlines British Airways, Air France, Lufthansa and Iberia all released financial reports for three and/or nine months to the end of Sep-2010. Common to all four is the return of the business traveller, especially on long-haul routes, vastly improved cargo revenues and a big jump in operating profits except for Air France, which remains a loss-maker. Despite BA's impressive turnaround it is Lufthansa that has best weathered the recession.