Brussels, April 29, 2025 — Brussels Airlines has reported an operational loss of €53 million for the first quarter of 2025, the Belgian flag carrier announced on Tuesday, citing a combination of national strikes, political unrest in key African markets, and unexpected long-haul fleet maintenance as the main drivers of its financial decline.
Despite the loss, the results mark a 9% improvement compared to the same period last year, signaling a modest recovery. However, the airline remains under pressure due to mounting operational challenges, including social conflict at home and instability in several sub-Saharan markets it serves.
“Political unrest in Central Africa had significant consequences on several of our key sub-Saharan routes,” the airline stated, pointing to disruptions in operations and passenger flows in destinations that traditionally generate strong revenues.
Compounding the issue, Brussels Airlines‘ long-haul fleet required both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, which further dented earnings.
To maintain service continuity, the airline entered into a temporary wet lease agreement — leasing aircraft and crew from other carriers — an arrangement that ensured operational stability but brought additional expenses.
Strikes were another major source of financial strain. In just the first three months of 2025, Belgium experienced three nationwide strikes, including one that coincided with the busy Easter holiday period.
These walkouts alone are estimated to have cost Brussels Airlines €5 million. On the same day the financial results were released, a new general strike led to the cancellation of all departing flights from Brussels Airport, highlighting the continued volatility the airline faces.
“Our hope is that the social conflicts will find resolution soon,” said Brussels Airlines Chief Financial Officer Nina Öwerdieck. “Avoiding strikes during the high summer season is essential to prevent further significant financial consequences.”
Brussels Airlines is a subsidiary of Lufthansa Group, Europe’s largest airline conglomerate. Lufthansa also reported disappointing first-quarter results, with a net loss of €885 million between January and March — wider than the €734 million loss posted during the same period in 2024.
The result was worse than analysts’ expectations, who had forecast a more modest loss of €248 million, according to financial data platform Factset.
The Lufthansa Group saw a 6% year-on-year increase in sales from its passenger transport division, supported by sustained demand and a slight 0.4% uptick in average ticket prices. However, rising costs — particularly for air traffic control, airport services, and aircraft maintenance — outpaced revenue growth.
Another contributing factor to the poor quarterly performance was the calendar shift of the Easter holidays from the first quarter in 2024 to the second quarter this year. The group said that without this seasonal shift, its passenger business would have shown significant improvement.
Looking ahead, Lufthansa maintained its forecast for a “strong” summer travel season, projecting an operational result “considerably higher” than last year’s €1.6 billion. Brussels Airlines is expected to benefit from this anticipated rebound, provided that labor disputes and geopolitical instability do not continue to derail operations.
