Lufthansa on Sunday lowered its profit outlook for the full year 2019, citing intense competition from low-cost rivals over prices in Europe. The group’s adjusted earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) margin was forecast at between 5.5% and 6.5%, down from 6.5% to 8% previously, Lufthansa said. This would entail a pretax EBIT of between E2b and E2.4b, compared with the previously targeted E2.4b to E3b, it said. “Yields in the European short-haul market, in particular in the group’s home markets Germany and Austria, are affected by sustained overcapacities caused by carriers willing to accept significant losses to expand their market share,” it said. It also cited overcapacities and high jet fuel costs, which it said could exceed last year’s figure by 550 million euros, despite a recent fall in crude oil prices. Lufthansa said it would make a provision for a tax risk to the amount of E340m in its H1 2019 accounts, relating to an open tax matter in Germany originating in the years between 2001 and 2005.<br/>
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A United flight blew out some its tires and skidded on a runway Saturday at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, leading to delays while the plane was towed away, the FAA said. No injuries were reported when United Flight 627 -- which originated in Denver -- landed at 1 p.m. on Runway 22 Left, according to the FAA. None of the 166 passengers on board were taken to hospitals and those with minor injuries refused medical attention, United Airlines said. Damage to the aircraft was being assessed, and the FAA is investigating the incident. "Preliminary indication is that tires blew out on the left main landing gear as the aircraft was landing," the FAA said. The FAA said the plane "veered to the left side of the pavement" after the tires blew. Earlier, the agency said the plane skidded off the runway and got stuck in a grassy area. United confirmed the plane did not leave the runway. The airline said the plane "experienced multiple flat tires upon landing" and "became disabled."<br/>
Passengers on a Turkish Airlines jetliner flying to Sudan had to subdue a man who started screaming a few minutes after takeoff and began smashing at an oxygen mask box and then a cabin window, before pushing flight attendants aside and rushing toward the cockpit. AP photographer Hussein Malla was on the flight Friday and says several passengers stopped the man in the Boeing 737-900′s business class section. Flight attendants calmed the man down after about 15 minutes and he was taken back to a seat as the plane continued toward Khartoum. Flight attendants said the man was complaining about not being able to breathe. After about 2½ hours, the pilots announced the plane was returning to Istanbul. A few minutes later, the man suddenly stood up and headed toward the front of the plane, where others grabbed him and shackled him with plastic restraints provided by flight attendants. Passengers were yelling in fear and children were crying. The plane landed back in Istanbul about three hours after it took off and police escorted the man off. <br/>
TAP-Air Portugal has quadrupled the maximum amount of its ongoing debenture loan offering to E200m, the company said in a filing with the market regulator on Friday. It did not give a reason for the increase, but typically high demand leads to such increases in debt issuance. The four-year debentures can be subscribed until Tuesday and the loss-making company plans to list them on Euronext Lisbon bourse on June 24. The head of listings at Euronext Lisbon, Filipa Franco, said last week she expected the debenture issuance to be “a rehearsal for TAP” so it can carry out its initial public offering of shares relatively soon. TAP, which was partly privatized in 2015, is 50% owned by the Portuguese state. Private consortium Atlantic Gateway, led by Brazilian-US airline mogul David Neeleman, has a 45% stake. TAP employees hold the remaining 5%.<br/>