Industry: Lufthansa Earnings Down

Lufthansa posts drop in earnings on rising fuel costs and price wars.

Adjusted earnings at the German carrier fell to €754m, compared to €1bn a year earlier.

German airlineLufthansa on Tuesday posted a decline in second-quarter earnings, hurt by price competition on short-haul routes in Germany and Austria as well as rising fuel costs.

The company said in a statement that adjusted earnings before interest and tax (ebit) fell to €754 million, compared to €1 billion a year earlier.

Fuel costs were €255 million higher than in the previous year, it said.

Lufthansa said it expected the European market to remain challenging until at least the end of this year.

The company maintained its guidance for 2019, having in June cut its full-year profit forecast due to lower prices and higher fuel costs compounding the effect of losses at its budget subsidiary Eurowings.