Europe's three dominant airline groups positioned themselves for intensified consolidation battle as Portugal's TAP Air privatisation attracted formal expressions of interest from Lufthansa Group, International Airlines Group, and Air France-KLM ahead of late November submission deadline. Portuguese government aims to divest 49.9% non-controlling stake in national carrier, comprising 44.9% allocated to major investors valued at approximately €700 million and 5% reserved for T

Europe's leading airline executives are mounting an unprecedented joint offensive against what they characterize as unfair competitive advantages enjoyed by Gulf and Turkish carriers, warning that the continent's aviation sovereignty faces existential threats from regulatory imbalances favouring state-backed rivals. Air France-KLM CEO Benjamin Smith and Lufthansa Group CEO Carsten Spohr united in a rare joint interview to criticise what they describe as the unbridled opening

European aviation capacity is poised to reach unprecedented levels during the winter 2025-2026 season despite persistent supply chain constraints and intensifying geopolitical tensions, with low-cost carriers driving growth as legacy airlines struggle to match pre-pandemic performance. Carriers across the continent will offer a record 745 million seats during the fourth quarter of 2025 and first quarter of 2026, representing a 7 per cent increase year-on-year and 8.8 per cent