Airlines
Air Berlin Integration Weighs on Lufthansa’s First-half Results
Group trims 2018 capacity growth plans, upholds earning outlook

Lufthansa has become the third airline after low-cost rivals easyJet and Ryanair to warn that the integration of parts of bankrupt Air Berlin has added costs and is taking longer than originally envisioned. The Cologne-based group on Tuesday said the higher than expected expenses related to the integration of the 77 aircraft formerly operated by Air Berlin into its budget arm Eurowings had “depressed” earnings in the first six months. Lufthansa booked adjusted earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of €1 billion ($1.17 billion) in the first half, down 2 percent year-over-year.