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Weekly Digest – February 17, 2025

This week’s aviation market saw Lufthansa lead with 7.9% growth and Air France expand by 6.6%. Turkish Airlines maintained market dominance with a slight 0.3% dip, while Emirates, Qatar Airways, and KLM posted modest gains.
Weekly Digest – February 17, 2025

Reporting Period: February 9 - February 16, 2025

Weekly Observation

The aviation industry experienced steady operations this week, with Lufthansa leading the growth trend at a 7.9% increase in total flights, while Air France also demonstrated significant expansion at 6.6%. Turkish Airlines remained the market leader, though with a slight decline of 0.3%. Emirates and Qatar Airways saw minor increases, maintaining their long-haul market strength. KLM recorded the highest percentage growth at 2.3%, emphasizing its intra-European connectivity.

Headlines

  • Lufthansa Leads Growth with a 7.9% Increase in Flights
    • Lufthansa recorded 5,699 flights, up from 5,280 the previous week.
    • Strong connectivity between Berlin (BER) and Frankfurt (FRA) contributed to growth.
  • Air France Expands by 6.6%
    • Air France reported 4,535 flights, a significant increase from 4,253.
    • Paris-Orly (ORY) to Toulouse (TLS) remains its busiest domestic route.
  • Turkish Airlines Holds Market Dominance Despite a 0.3% Dip
    • Total weekly flights: 6,359, maintaining an 18.05% market share.
    • Top route: Ankara (ESB) to Istanbul (IST) with 450 flights.
  • British Airways Gains Market Share with 0.8% Growth
    • British Airways flew 4,806 flights, securing 13.64% market share.
    • Edinburgh (EDI) to London Heathrow (LHR) was its busiest domestic route.
  • Qatar Airways Grows by 0.9%, Maintaining Strong Global Reach
    • Qatar Airways operated 3,666 flights, an increase from 3,632.
    • Doha (DOH) to London Heathrow (LHR) remains its top international route.
  • KLM Records 2.3% Growth in European Operations
    • KLM reached 3,623 flights, showing strong regional expansion.
    • Amsterdam (AMS) to London Heathrow (LHR) saw 209 flights.

Market Leaders

1. Turkish Airlines (TK)

  • Total Flights: 6,359 (-0.3%)
  • Market Share: 18.05%
  • Top Routes: ESB-IST (450 flights), AYT-IST (376 flights), IST-JED (211 flights)
  • Fleet Highlights: A321 (3,385 flights), A21N (2,595 flights), B738 (2,087 flights)

2. Lufthansa (LH)

  • Total Flights: 5,699 (+7.9%)
  • Market Share: 16.18%
  • Top Routes: BER-FRA (366 flights), FRA-MUC (338 flights), FRA-LHR (334 flights)
  • Fleet Highlights: A320 (3,065 flights), A319 (2,442 flights), A321 (1,933 flights)

3. British Airways (BA)

  • Total Flights: 4,806 (+0.8%)
  • Market Share: 13.64%
  • Top Routes: EDI-LHR (313 flights), GVA-LHR (312 flights), GLA-LHR (304 flights)
  • Fleet Highlights: A320 (3,462 flights), A319 (1,513 flights), B772 (1,166 flights)

4. Air France (AF)

  • Total Flights: 4,535 (+6.6%)
  • Market Share: 12.88%
  • Top Routes: ORY-TLS (285 flights), AMS-CDG (263 flights), NCE-ORY (258 flights)
  • Fleet Highlights: A320 (2,040 flights), BCS3 (1,770 flights), E190 (1,444 flights)

5. Qatar Airways (QR)

  • Total Flights: 3,666 (+0.9%)
  • Market Share: 10.41%
  • Top Routes: DOH-LHR (239 flights), DOH-HKG (182 flights), BKK-DOH (172 flights)
  • Fleet Highlights: B77W (2,071 flights), A320 (1,873 flights), A359 (1,344 flights)

6. Emirates (EK)

  • Total Flights: 2,867 (+0.4%)
  • Market Share: 8.14%
  • Top Routes: DXB-LHR (168 flights), BKK-DXB (140 flights), BOM-DXB (140 flights)
  • Fleet Highlights: B77W (4,783 flights), A388 (3,072 flights), B77L (522 flights)

Route Observations

(Excluding Major Hubs: IST, LHR, DXB, CDG, FRA, AMS)

  • Manchester (MAN) - British Airways: Increasing demand as a secondary UK hub.
  • Geneva (GVA) - Air France & British Airways: Strong business and seasonal traffic.
  • Bangalore (BLR) - Lufthansa & Qatar Airways: Growth in South Asia connectivity.
  • Cape Town (CPT) - Emirates & Qatar Airways: Strengthening links to Africa.
  • Vienna (VIE) - Turkish Airlines & Lufthansa: Stable European transit hub.
  • Toronto (YYZ) - British Airways & Lufthansa: Expanding North American reach.

Fleet Performance Highlights

  • Turkish Airlines (TK): A321 continues to dominate with 3,385 flights.
  • Lufthansa (LH): A320 leads fleet utilization with 3,065 flights.
  • British Airways (BA): A320 remains the backbone with 3,462 flights.
  • Air France (AF): A320 records 2,040 flights, supported by regional jets.
  • Qatar Airways (QR): B77W remains the key aircraft with 2,071 flights.
  • Emirates (EK): B77W leads at 4,783 flights, followed by A388 at 3,072 flights.

Route Anomalies

Lufthansa (LH)

  • AGP-FRA (Malaga - Frankfurt): Unusual increase to 4 flights (previous average: 2.28).
  • AMS-MUC (Amsterdam - Munich): Sudden decrease to 6 flights (average: 7.71).
  • ARN-FRA (Stockholm - Frankfurt): Increased to 9 flights, exceeding usual upper limit of 8.
  • BER-FRA (Berlin - Frankfurt): Notable fluctuation with 29 flights, exceeding the 26.4 average.
  • BIO-FRA (Bilbao - Frankfurt): Decreased to 2 flights (average: 4.28).

Turkish Airlines (TK)

  • ABJ-IST (Abidjan - Istanbul): Increased to 2 flights, exceeding the usual 1.0 average.
  • ALA-IST (Almaty - Istanbul): Sudden increase to 6 flights (average: 4.71).
  • AMM-IST (Amman - Istanbul): Increased to 9 flights, surpassing the 6.42 average.
  • ATH-IST (Athens - Istanbul): Increased to 10 flights (average: 7.86).
  • BOM-IST (Mumbai - Istanbul): Increased to 6 flights, exceeding the 3.14 average.
  • DEL-IST (Delhi - Istanbul): Jump to 5 flights, compared to the 2.86 average.
  • IST-MED (Istanbul - Medina): Notable rise to 20 flights, surpassing the upper bound of 18.68.
  • IST-TAS (Istanbul - Tashkent): Increased to 8 flights, above the 6.29 average.

British Airways (BA)

  • ABZ-LHR (Aberdeen - London Heathrow): Decrease to 10 flights, well below the 15.42 average.
  • ACE-LGW (Lanzarote - London Gatwick): Increased to 4 flights, above the 2.0 expected.
  • ALC-LGW (Alicante - London Gatwick): Increased to 4 flights, exceeding the usual 2.29.
  • BER-LHR (Berlin - London Heathrow): Surge to 18 flights, above the expected 13.43.
  • BSL-LHR (Basel - London Heathrow): Reduced to 6 flights, below the 7.71 average.
  • EDI-LHR (Edinburgh - London Heathrow): Decrease to 14 flights, below the 22.57 average.
  • JFK-LHR (New York JFK - London Heathrow): Increased to 16 flights, surpassing the 14.29 norm.
  • LHR-WAW (London Heathrow - Warsaw): Dropped to 4 flights, below the 5.71 average.
  • Lufthansa had the strongest growth (+7.9%), strengthening its European dominance.
  • Air France followed closely with a 6.6% increase, driven by strong domestic and European routes.
  • Turkish Airlines maintained the highest flight volume, but with a minor 0.3% decline.
  • Qatar Airways and Emirates continue to hold a competitive edge in global operations.
  • KLM saw a steady 2.3% increase, emphasizing its European network.

Closing Remarks

Lufthansa emerged as the strongest performer this week, leading market expansion, while Turkish Airlines maintained its top position despite a slight decline. British Airways, Air France, and KLM showcased steady operational resilience, with Singapore Airlines and Etihad Airways maintaining stable performance.

Stay tuned for next week’s insights from Efabrika Aviation Insights.