Lufthansa Cuts 2026 Outlook on €600M Fuel Hit

Lufthansa Group on November 3, 2026 reported third-quarter adjusted operating profit up 6% to about €1.4 billion and revenue up 9% to about €12.2 billion, its strongest revenue quarter on record. Fuel costs rose €543 million year-on-year. Net profit rose to about €1.3 billion from €966 million. Network airlines adjusted EBIT was €853 million, down €108 million; they expanded capacity for the first time this year. Eurowings suspended Gulf region flights amid the Middle East crisis and replaced them with shorter Southern Europe routes. CEO Carsten Spohr said: "With rising revenues amid consistently high demand and strict cost discipline, we were able to more than offset the increase in fuel costs of approximately half a billion euros." He said the focus remains on accelerating the financial turnaround of Lufthansa Airlines. The fuel outlook is reported differently across wires. DPA said Lufthansa now forecasts a full-year fuel bill of €9.3 billion, €600 million more than projected in August. Reuters said the group now expects a €2 billion full-year fuel cost increase versus about €1.5 billion previously. Lufthansa lowered the upper end of its 2026 adjusted-earnings forecast citing the higher expected fuel costs. Analysts had expected average adjusted EBIT of €1.37 billion.