Using hand-collected panel data on fuel price risk management by airlines, we find
remarkably strong support for the dynamic financing risk management trade-off in the
context of commodity price risk management. Airlines that are more financially constrained
hedge less. Moreover, airlines whose financial condition deteriorates reduce risk
management. Most dramatically, as airlines become distressed, airlines’ fuel price risk
management on average decreases from about 30% of estimated annual fuel expenses
two years prior to distress to less than 5% in the year airlines become distressed. These
35
empirical findings, both in the cross section and the time series, are consistent with the
predictions of our dynamic model of risk management subject to collateral constraints,
which explicitly considers input price risk management. In light of this strong empirical
support for our dynamic theory of risk management, a reconsideration of the relation
between financing and risk management is warranted.
36