Aviation M&A

An airline acquisition is a complex undertaking that requires a great level of expertise and a deep understanding of all functional areas of the aviation industry. A transaction creates industry-specific challenges that must be carefully considered, planned, and managed. From regulatory approvals, such as Air Operator Certificates or traffic rights, up to service provider contracts, loyalty program integration or airport slots. Most of these issues are interconnected and it requires specific industry knowledge and foresight to keep track of every detail to be able to manage the merger of two independent airlines.

Most of the mergers & acquisitions processes of airlines are highly political and various regulations need to be considered. As neutral advisors, aviation specialists and M&A generalists, we provide expert guidance through aviation M&A transactions and assist you right from the beginning to ensure a successful M&A process. In our role as aviation consultants, we bridge the gap to enable effective collaboration between corporate functions like legal and financial professionals, and the operational aviation functions. From due diligence to post-merger integration, our hands-on approach facilitates a streamlined M&A process that maximizes value creation.

An airline acquisition is a complex undertaking that requires a great level of expertise and a deep understanding of all functional areas of the aviation industry. A transaction creates industry-specific challenges that must be carefully considered, planned, and managed. From regulatory approvals, such as Air Operator Certificates or traffic rights, up to service provider contracts, loyalty program integration or airport slots. Most of these issues are interconnected and it requires specific industry knowledge and foresight to keep track of every detail to be able to manage the merger of two independent airlines.

Most of the mergers & acquisitions processes of airlines are highly political and various regulations need to be considered. As neutral advisors, aviation specialists and M&A generalists, we provide expert guidance through aviation M&A transactions and assist you right from the beginning to ensure a successful M&A process. In our role as aviation consultants, we bridge the gap to enable effective collaboration between corporate functions like legal and financial professionals, and the operational aviation functions. From due diligence to post-merger integration, our hands-on approach facilitates a streamlined M&A process that maximizes value creation.

Our experts start the Merger & Acquisition process with an initial study of the target airline’s strategy and business environment. A deeper understanding and holistic analysis of the current strategy, the overall market situation and development, and the industry network form the foundation for a successful aviation M&A process.

Once the decision for acquisition is made, the transaction phase can begin. Our experts use their deep industry knowledge for the technical due diligence. The assessment of the business plan is used to identify potential aviation specific synergies and model them for the application. This will ensure the best possible outcome for your airline’s aspirations.

After the signing, in the closing phase, our experts assist in developing an operational integration plan, the commercial integration and if necessary, the development of the product design. Once the antitrust clearance is received, we guide your airline acquisition project through the entire integration phase. You can rely on our consultants’ support to steer and manage all post-merger integration processes, starting with the network planning, the development of a consistent fleet strategy.

Our expertise and tailored solutions help us to streamline your specific M&A journey and ensure compliance. We aim to maximize value, mitigate any risks along the way and orchestrate a seamless integration for all parties.

Our experts apply a holistic approach to aviation M&A with a unique aviation-based framework. Our comprehensive expertise in the main aviation business areas combined with our hands-on industry experience are important pillars for every mergers & acquisitions project. Clients benefit from our cross-functional approach whereby experts in strategy development, flight safety, airport infrastructure, maintenance, etc., collaborate to consider all aspects of the airline business. This expertise enables us to have a profound understanding of the market dynamic, trends and challenges. In a range of former projects, we proved ourselves as a reliable partner for airlines, airport, authorities, and other organizations and entities in the aviation sector. We understand the working methods and requirements of all aviation stakeholders.

Our experts consist of certified project managers and PMOs, we are masters in change management and address stakeholder management on all levels. Lufthansa Consulting aviation experts have served as reliable “co-pilots” to airlines and airports in challenging situations for over 40 years.