Airlines

These ten airlines already went bankrupt in 2019

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Though times for passengers, airlines and its employees as already in September alone the wings of four airlines have been clipped. Unfortunately, airline bankruptcies and insolvencies are an event that there is to stay. Fierce competition and higher fuel prices are weeding out the weak performers.

On this year’s bankruptcy of Jet Airways, Professor Loizos Heracleous commented:

“The aviation industry is unattractive in terms of returns on investment at the best of times. Planes are high cost assets with little alternative use.

“Fuel accounts for around a third of total airline costs and they have no control over the fluctuating price.

“Increases in industry profitability after 2011 were aided by lower fuel prices. With fuel prices on an upward trend since 2016, the performance of some airlines has taken a hit.

“Airlines also face high levels of regulation, often aggressive unions, and the high bargaining power of buyers.

“Yet new airlines continue to enter the industry. In 2017 for example, 79 new airlines entered the industry globally, as 25 went bankrupt. That is an unsustainable rate of market entry and financially irrational.

“Airline bankruptcies are an event that is here to stay. That is why consumers should always have a plan B and purchase their tickets in a manner that offers the possibility of a refund.”

These ten airlines already went bankrupt this year

This post was published on 25 September 2019 09:51

Bart Noëth

Working for 25 years in the aviation industry, I changed my career and became a firefighter/EMT in 2021. I like to spend my free time with my two sons, girlfriend, family and friends. I love to travel, wine and dine and support my favourite football squad KV Mechelen. Once an Ironman 70.3 finisher and dreaming of completing a full distance.

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Bart Noëth

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