Air France-KLM recorded a net loss of EUR 1.8 billion in the first quarter of this year, according to the group’s quarterly figures (pdf) on Thursday. The impact of the corona crisis appears to be huge: in the same three months last year the loss amounted to 320 million euros.

Due to the corona crisis, the Air France-KLM aircraft are for the most part on the ground. At the end of April, it was already known that KLM had carried 54 percent fewer passengers in March than in the same month a year earlier.

The number of passengers carried will decrease even further in the second quarter, because the airline cancelled flights outside Asia only in mid-March, and the travel restrictions between countries still apply. Air France-KLM therefore expects flight capacity in the second and third quarters to be 95 and 80 percent lower than last year, respectively.

Especially the French side of the group was hit hard by the corona crisis: Air France recorded an operational loss of 536 million euros. At KLM, this loss of 275 million euro was almost half as low.

Due to the major economic shock of the corona crisis to the aviation industry, both Air France and KLM had to knock on the door of the national governments for support. The Netherlands will support KLM with 2 to 4 billion euros, but the conditions and further details are not yet known. The French will support Air France with 7 billion euros in loans and guarantees.

Release NOS
Photo Rob Vogelaar