Robert Boyle

Lufthansa Group was the last of the big three Western European network groups to report their Q2 results this week. How did they look compared to IAG's and AF-KLM's? gridpoint.consulting/blog/lu…

Its airline results season. Q2 is the first full quarter since the start of the Iran war. How are airlines coping with the fuel price spike and disruption to Middle East schedules? I'm kicking off my coverage with a review of the results of IAG and AF-KLM gridpoint.consulting/blog/co…

The EU has been under pressure to expand its carbon trading scheme (ETS) to cover long-haul flights. What emerged last week was a half way house proposal that drew criticism from both airlines and environmental campaigners alike. gridpoint.consulting/blog/eu…

After five weeks of haggling, easyJet's board finally reached a deal with potential bidder Castlelake. Was the price a good one? Is it likely to go through? And what might Castlelake be planning to do with business if it does? gridpoint.consulting/blog/ea…

Alternative investment company Castlelake has confirmed that it is considering a bid for easyJet. Why has easyJet become a potential target, and how might Castlelake think it can make money? gridpoint.consulting/blog/ca…

Two months into the Iran war, airlines are moving from crisis response to strategic adjustment. Getting through the summer without running out of fuel may be the immediate task. Deciding what to do with winter capacity will be the next challenge. gridpoint.consulting/blog/th…

Virgin Atlantic managed to make a small profit last year, but has again slipped back into losses in 2025. With the industry facing a challenging 2026, what do the results tell us about the health and resilience of the business? gridpoint.consulting/blog/di…

With jet fuel prices still inflated by the war in the Gulf, airlines with more fuel efficient fleets are better placed to withstand the pricing shock. Which global airlines are in the best positions and who will be under more competitive pressure? gridpoint.consulting/blog/wh…

With airline valuations taking a pounding from the war with Iran, I took a look at which airlines had been hardest hit and tried to make sense of the differences. gridpoint.consulting/blog/ma…

The big European carrier groups delivered another year of solid profits in 2025. But attention has rapidly shifted to the outlook for 2026, with the war in Iran driving airspace closures in the Middle East and a surge in jet fuel prices. gridpoint.consulting/blog/eu…

How did 2025 go for the airline industry? What will be the top issues in 2026? "OK" and "who knows?" are the short answers, but I've attempted a more comprehensive version here. gridpoint.consulting/blog/en…

We may be about to get more news on Heathrow's third runway project. As the government gets ready to restart the process of getting a scheme agreed and approved, what are the big choices that need to be made and what issues are at stake? gridpoint.consulting/blog/im…

Hmm, I don’t think that chart has been drawn right. £9.9 billion projected budget surplus appears to be almost the same size as the >£100 billion debt interest bill.

The third quarter results are now out for all the big three Western European network airline groups. How did they stack up against each other, and what do they tell us about the relative financial health of the three companies? gridpoint.consulting/blog/a-…

Ryanair reported first half results this morning and there was plenty for investors to like, with industry leading profit margins and impressive cash generation. gridpoint.consulting/blog/ry…

OAG has just published its annual ranking of the most connected airports in the world, "Megahubs 2025". The rankings looked rather odd to me, so I went down the rabbit hole and did my own calculations. gridpoint.consulting/blog/me…

Passenger numbers between the UK and China are now over 30% above 2019 levels. With new direct flights from MAN and EDI, you could be forgiven for thinking that the market is doing nicely. But look beyond the headlines and you'll find a different story. gridpoint.consulting/blog/ch…

Aviation has been part of the European ETS for over a decade. What effects has it had on overall emissions and which airlines are responsible for the biggest increases? And what are the prospects for the scheme being extended to cover long-haul flights? gridpoint.consulting/blog/ta…