American Posts Smaller Than Expected Loss

American Airlines parent AMR on Wednesday posted a smaller-than-expected quarterly loss as capacity cuts and new revenue streams helped offset weak travel demand.

American was the first major US airline to report its second quarter earnings, and its results easily beat expectations, sending its shares higher.

Airlines are struggling to gain financial altitude in a lingering recession that has drained demand for business travel, especially on lucrative international routes.

"International passengers and (revenue) will be down more significantly than domestic. I think that'll probably be the big thing," said Morningstar analyst Basili Alukos.

He said he was encouraged by AMR's plans for additional capacity cuts and by the increase in ancillary revenue the carrier has drawn from new fees for in-flight perks.

The airline industry responded to weaker recessionary demand last year by downsizing. AMR said in June that it increased its planned 2009 capacity reductions to 7.5 percent versus 2008.

LOSS NARROWS

AMR said its net loss was USD$390 million, or USD$1.39 per share, compared with a loss of USD$1.5 billion, or USD$5.83 per share, a year ago when the company took a USD$1.1 billion charge.

The latest results include USD$70 million in one-time charges related to the sale of aircraft and the grounding of leased aircraft prior to lease expiration.

Excluding those charges, AMR lost USD$319 million, or USD$1.14 per share.

"With ongoing global economic weakness and the resulting effect on travel demand, revenues are down sharply from a year ago," AMR CEO Gerard Arpey said in a statement.

AMR said operating revenue fell 20.9 percent to USD$4.89 billion. The company said it earned USD$565 million in "other revenues," which includes new fees. Those revenues grew 7.4 percent from a year ago.

AMR paid USD$1.33 billion for fuel in the quarter, down 44.9 percent from a year ago when oil prices were at a record high.

AMR ended the quarter with USD$3.3 billion in cash and short-term investments, including a restricted balance of USD$460 million.

"Their cash position was a little better than I would have expected considering how significantly demand was down," Alukos said.

AMR said it added USD$66 million in liquidity through an aircraft sale-leaseback transaction.

The company completed a USD$520 million public offering that also added liquidity. AMR said it now has committed financing expected to cover all firm orders for its Boeing 737 aircraft through 2011.