The group, which includes Swiss, Brussels Airlines, Austrian Airlines and budget brand Eurowings, made pre-tax earnings of €3 billion in 2017. Revenue increased 12.4% to €35.6 billion and margins rose almost three percentage points to 8.4%.
The Group said the fruits of a cost-cutting programme had prompted the jump in profits. Its result contrasts with Virgin Atlantic, which reported a loss of £28.4 million last year, blamed on sterling’s weakness, the Caribbean hurricanes and engine problems on its Boeing 787 fleet.
