"Higher fares help airlines trim losses" by Scott Mayerowitz | Associated Press, May 17, 2013
NEW YORK — US airlines charged more in fares and fees and reduced debt as they improved their financial performance in the first quarter.
They still lost money, which is typical for the year’s first three months as travel slows after the holidays. But....
Related: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: FAA Fraud
Did they lose money?
The industry’s second-quarter results could show a hit tied to federal budget cuts.
I'm tired of that being used as an excuse for everything so you will agree to higher taxes.
Looking further out, summer travel should pick up over last year but still trail its prerecession peak, according to Airlines for America, the industry’s lobbying group.
But, still, if, whatever, SIGH!
Airlines have been making a concerted effort to get their costs under control, said John Heimlich, chief economist for the lobbying group.
That is a big challenge. Fuel accounts for more than a third of the airlines’ costs and is largely out of their control.
But oil prices have been dropping.
Airlines were able to lower debt and interest payments, Heimlich said, but the biggest gains came from more passengers as well as increasing airfares and charging more in fees.
Oh, so the AIRLINES are hostages to the BANKS, too, huh?
And they are only making more because they are gouging the Amerikan consumer.
My advice to you: DON'T FLY EVER AGAIN!
Total operating revenue rose 2.5 percent year over year, Heimlich said.
Revenue rose but they all lost money, huh?
As airlines take in more cash — and remain profitable in other quarters — they are investing in new planes, better first class seats, improvements to airport terminals, increased in-flight entertainment, and better technology for tracking luggage.
Airlines could take a financial hit to their second-quarter results because of lengthy delays in April caused by furloughs to air traffic controllers.
They were only out a week!
The Federal Aviation Administration had furloughed controllers for one week as part of a longstanding budget fight between Congress and the White House....
See: Slow Saturday Special: FAA Fraud Fixed
The lobbying group reiterated it criticism of the Department of Homeland Security for its decision to open a customs and immigration preclearance facility in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
When the airlines start calling out the lie of 9/11 maybe I'll listen to their bitching; otherwise, shut the f*** up.
The only airline to fly directly from there to the United States is Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways, a rapidly-growing carrier seen as a threat to many Western airlines on their lucrative international routes.
Oh, it is ALL about the MONEY!
Heimlich said the US government should be focused instead on dealing with the much larger number of passengers coming from London, Toronto, Tokyo, Frankfurt, and Paris, and reducing their wait times.
‘‘This is wrong,’’ he said....
--more--"
Related: Sunday Globe Special: Arrogant Australian A$$hole
Now you know whom to blame.
Also see: American will favor passengers without roller bags
