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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Strong profits at British Airways | Strong profits at British Airways |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| British Airways has reported healthy profits for the last nine months of 2007, despite rising fuel costs and the consumer slowdown. | British Airways has reported healthy profits for the last nine months of 2007, despite rising fuel costs and the consumer slowdown. |
| Pre-tax profits came in at £788m, up 34.9% from the same period of 2006. | Pre-tax profits came in at £788m, up 34.9% from the same period of 2006. |
| Fuel costs in the first six months of the period fell by £36m, but they then rose £72m in the last three months. | Fuel costs in the first six months of the period fell by £36m, but they then rose £72m in the last three months. |
| Shares slumped 4.2% though, as analysts worried that an economic slowdown in the US and UK might hit sales of longhaul, premium class tickets. | |
| Falling costs | Falling costs |
| BA is planning a twice-daily luxury service from City Airport to New York with only 32 seats, starting in 2009. | |
| Pre-tax profits for the last three months of 2007 came in at £195m, which is 72.6% up from £113m in the same period of 2006. | |
| "This is another good set of results despite soaring fuel costs and difficulties in the market," said British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh. | "This is another good set of results despite soaring fuel costs and difficulties in the market," said British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh. |
| British Airways share price | British Airways share price |
| "The opening of Terminal 5 is now less than two months away and the public trials and previews for our Executive Club members have been very successful." | "The opening of Terminal 5 is now less than two months away and the public trials and previews for our Executive Club members have been very successful." |
| BA hopes the new terminal will improve punctuality and baggage performance. | BA hopes the new terminal will improve punctuality and baggage performance. |
| BA's statement said that long-haul premium traffic was still strong but that on short-haul flights it had weakened. | BA's statement said that long-haul premium traffic was still strong but that on short-haul flights it had weakened. |
| It also said that non-premium traffic on North Atlantic routes remains soft. | It also said that non-premium traffic on North Atlantic routes remains soft. |
| BA added that the weakening US dollar had contributed to a £101m fall in its costs over the nine months. | BA added that the weakening US dollar had contributed to a £101m fall in its costs over the nine months. |