BA owner reports surprise profit
British Airways-owner reported a quarterly profit, swinging into the black from a seasonal loss for the first time, helped by lower fuel costs and an improvement in performance across its three airlines.
The airline group, which is in the process of trying to acquire Aer Lingus to expand its stable of carriers, reported an underlying operating profit of £18m for the three months to March 31.
This compares with a loss of £108m last year and an analyst consensus forecast for a loss of £2.2m.
European airlines tend to report a loss in the first quarter of the year when fewer customers fly.