The company now expects adjusted earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of 2.2 billion euros this year, versus a previous forecast for stable earnings development compared to its 2.682 billion euro adjusted EBIT result in 2023, it said in a statement.

Adjusted free cash flow in 2024 is expected to be at least 1 billion euros, down from the previous forecast of at least 1.5 billion, it added.

Lufthansa also reported a first-quarter loss of 849 million euros, compared to a 273 million loss the previous year.

"The loss was higher than expected due to various strikes, both by different employee groups within the Group and by employees at system partners, which impacted earnings by around EUR 350 million," the statement said.

The group is set to publish final results for the first quarter on April 30.

($1 = 0.9403 euros)

(Writing by Rachel More, Editing by Friederike Heine)