BUSINESS NEWS


Lufthansa reports a ‘weakening’ in summer bookings for the US, while Air France-KLM says customers are ‘holding back on buying [transatlantic] tickets’


Airlines and cruise lines report hits to US travel


Leading suppliers reveal softening in transatlantic demand. Ian Taylor reports


Trading updates by major carriers and cruise lines last week confirmed a partial slowdown in transatlantic bookings amid uncertainty about US trade policy and its impacts, but with contrasting effects by sector. Air France-KLM and Lufthansa


reported hits to European bookings to the US in recent weeks while US demand for Europe remained strong. However, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings noted a tail-off in US demand for European cruises in April while Royal Caribbean Group reported little impact


48 8 MAY 2025


despite “heightened uncertainty”. Lufthansa reported carrying


25% more US passengers to Europe in March than a year ago but a “weakening” in summer bookings for the US. Group chief executive Carsten Spohr said: “When it comes to vacation trips to the US, especially from the German, Austrian and Swiss markets, it’s easy to imagine families saying, ‘We don’t know if we really want to go.’” Air France-KLM chief financial


officer Steven Zaat also reported “a shift in [the] point of sale from Europe


in April, with the US getting stronger”, noting the balance of bookings “shifted about three percentage points to the US for Air France and four points for KLM in the first three weeks of April”. Chief executive Ben Smith said:


“We see customers holding back on buying tickets until we see some clarity.” He added: “It’s the economy cabin where we see a softening on transatlantic routes. Business class


Continued on page 46 travelweekly.co.uk


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PICTURE: Shutterstock/Markus Mainka


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