International Airlines Group has released its report for the first half of 2018, with the group as a whole recording an operating profit of €1.115 billion, up from €950 million for the same period last year.

British Airways made a profit of €868 million (up from €740 million), while Iberia recorded profits of €102 million (up from €87 million).

Aer Lingus recorded arguably the strongest performance, almost doubling profits from €53 million in the first six months of 2017, to €104 million in 2018.

The group said that the carrier’s growth “reflects the full year impact of routes launched in 2017, and the impact of new routes to Philadelphia and Seattle”.

But Spanish low-cost carrier Vueling posted losses of €11 million for the period, compared to €7 million in 2017.

CEO Willie Walsh said that Vueling’s results had been “particularly affected” by recent French Air Traffic Control strikes, incurring “an additional €20 million of disruption costs” in the second quarter of 2018.

“These strikes are also having a significant negative impact on the Spanish economy and tourism,” added Walsh.

He also highlighted the growth in IAG’s subsidiary Level, which launched flights from Paris Orly to Montreal and Guadeoupe in July, as well as new short-haul routes from Vienna.

The group reported that fuel unit costs for the second quarter of 2018 were up 6.7 per cent (15 per cent at constant currency).

iairgroup.com