The third quarter of 2025 was marked by major negative impacts on earnings, but Lufthansa Technik remains on track for planned growth. Revenue rose by a good 600 million to 5.9 billion euros in the first nine months of the year (+11.9 percent compared to the previous year). But the global market leader in aircraft technical services was negatively impacted by tariffs and the US dollar exchange rate in particular. With an adjusted EBIT of 440 million euros, the company was significantly below the previous year’s level (-26 million euros respectively -5.6 percent) at the end of September. The margin declined accordingly to 7.4 percent (previous year: 8.8 percent).

“After racing from one record to the next, the tougher environment has forced us to make painful cuts in earnings and margins,” said Dr. Christian Leifeld, Chief Financial Officer of Lufthansa Technik. “Despite all our efforts, the summer remained well below our expectations. In view of the stable market development, we are maintaining our course and sticking to our planned investments. In order to achieve the necessary results, even greater cost awareness will be required in all areas.”  

To achieve profitable growth as planned, Lufthansa Technik plans to invest billions of euros in the coming years. In Portugal, the company is investing 300 million euros in a new plant for the repair of aircraft components and engine parts. Most recently, a second training building was put into operation in Santa Maria da Feira near Porto. In Calgary, Canada, a site is being built for the maintenance of state-of-the-art CFM LEAP-1B aircraft engines. The training program for new employees has already started here as well. In the USA, the expansion of the Tulsa (Oklahoma) site is underway with investments made in new buildings and additional capacity. At the same time, the company's headquarter in Hamburg is being extensively modernized with a three-digit-million-euro investment in infrastructure measures.

Major contracts with Cathay Group and easyJet

The driving factor behind this is steady demand. Lufthansa Technik has already signed more than 600 new contracts this year, including most recently an agreement with the Cathay Group (Hong Kong) for the maintenance of components for its fleet of more than 70 Boeing 747 and 777 aircraft. The long-standing partnership with British airline easyJet for aircraft overhauls was also extended. Each winter season, Lufthansa Technik Sofia provides four parallel bays exclusively for aircraft of the airline's Airbus A320 family fleet. Lufthansa Technik's engine division recently celebrated the induction of its 100th CFM LEAP engine at the Hamburg site.

“The unwavering support of our customers makes us very happy and motivates us,” said Christian Leifeld. “At the same time, these positive developments do not change the fact that we still have a lot of work to do. The increased costs for materials, supplies, and personnel are a lasting burden for us. Added to this are the current weakness of the US dollar and the US tariffs, which, despite the exemptions for aircraft parts, continue to put pressure on us and the industry. These two issues alone will cost us a high double-digit-million-euro amount in earnings this year.”

Lufthansa Technik had set out to achieve positive revenue and earnings growth for 2025 compared with the previous year. The company has responded to the tariff burdens with extensive measures. Material flows are being redirected, and repairs are being carried out in other locations than before. “For now, we are just glad that the dispute between the US and the EU has not escalated further,” said Christian Leifeld. “But one thing is also clear: the current tariffs regime is making everything more expensive for us and for our customers. While I am optimistic about the revenue target, it will be a major challenge to match last year’s EBIT level under these difficult conditions.”

*Due to internal reorganization within the Group, Lufthansa Industry Solutions is no longer part of the Technik business segment of the Lufthansa Group. The comparative figures have been adjusted accordingly.