Germany’s Lufthansa Has Hedged 75 Percent of Jet Fuel for 2011

Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA), Europe’s second-largest airline, said it hedged 75 percent of its jet fuel needs for this year.

The carrier is 35 percent hedged for 2012, according to a presentation by Chief Financial Officer Stephan Gemkow posted on the company website. Lufthansa benefits from hedging as long as Brent crude trades at more than $92 a barrel, the slides show.

Hedging allows airlines to agree on prices for future fuel needs and is intended to help guard against cost fluctuations.

Jet fuel in northwest Europe averaged $999 a ton this year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The prices are for barge lots of 1,000 or 2,000 tons. Brent crude oil for next- month settlement on the ICE Futures Europe exchange in London has averaged $110 a barrel this year.

To contact the reporter on this story: Rachel Graham in London rgraham13@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Stephen Voss at sev@bloomberg.net