"In the long run, there will be only 12 global companies" (Lufthansa)

The boss of the airline LufthansaCarsten Spohr does not go out of his way. It is imperative that the sector think of a slow qualitative growth rather than blind growth, he told the press.

He sees an acceleration of the consolidation of the aviation sector to reach a dozen actors:

• three in the United States
• three in China
• three in the Gulf
• three in Europe

In addition to these "global" companies operating large international routes, smaller national and regional companies would evolve.

"Europe is lagging behind consolidation", believes there. He added that, according to him, an economic crisis and "financial results increasingly bad" companies should accelerate mergers and acquisitions.

"If there is one positive thing to find in the economic downturn, this is it." As for Lufthansa, the company has, according to its boss, all cards in hand to position itself in the "closed" club of these 12 remaining companies.

Carsten Spohr also reiterated his criticisms of the price war and competition in the sector. "We have the financial strength to be able to counter-attack, we will not let ourselves be driven out of our home market" by low cost like Ryanair.

At the end of July, he had nevertheless imputed the quarterly decline of 70% of the company's profit to the competition on the tariffs on short-haul flights, at the price of fuel and maintenance.

The recent bankruptcies of low-cost companies in Germany, such as Air Berlin or Germania, have allowed Lufthansa to buy lines and aircraft.