2013 Airline Financial Data

BTS Releases 1st-Quarter 2013 Airline Financial Data; Largest Airlines Report Smaller Net Loss   The largest scheduled passenger airlines reported a net loss of $433 million in the first quarter of 2013, an improvement from a loss of $1.7 billion in the first quarter of 2012, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today in a release of preliminary data.   BTS, a part of the Department's Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that the 10 largest airlines, as ranked by total number of passengers carried in the first quarter, reported a second consecutive quarterly net loss after two quarterly profits as a group. These 10 airlines carried 80.6 percent of U.S. airlines' scheduled service passengers in the first quarter of 2013.  In contrast to the Net Income reports, the top 10 airlines reported a 1.3 percent operating profit margin in the first quarter of 2013, up from a 0.7 percent profit margin in the first quarter of 2012.   BTS is reporting numbers for Net Income or Loss as well as for Operating Profit or Loss for airlines. These are two different measures of airline financial performance. Net Income or Loss may include non-operating income and expenses, nonrecurring items or income taxes. Operating Profit or Loss is calculated from operating revenues and expenses.  The 10 largest airlines achieved an operating profit margin - as a group - in each of the last eight quarters. Together, they posted a pre-tax profit of $438 million in the first quarter in contrast to a net loss of $433 million.