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The relative effect of operational hedging on airline operating costs

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  • Swidan, Hassan
  • Merkert, Rico

Abstract

Due to recent hedging losses, albeit prolonged volatility relatively low fuel prices and rising costs of financial hedging, many airlines decided to forego or scale-back their financial jet fuel derivatives and instead manage the risk exposure through operational hedging strategies. Based on a sample of 80 global airlines, we evaluate the cost impact of operational hedging and its relationship with financial hedging. Our results show that operational hedging based on aircraft engine commonality significantly reduces operating cost but it does not work as a standalone strategy to manage jet fuel risk exposure. Our empirical models demonstrate that deploying operational hedging in conjunction with financial derivatives is much more effective as in combination they not only reduce unit cost but also increase profitability.

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  • Swidan, Hassan & Merkert, Rico, 2019. "The relative effect of operational hedging on airline operating costs," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 70-77.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:80:y:2019:i:c:p:70-77
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2019.05.001
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