Network airlines together Post $1.32B First-quarter Loss

Effected by the growing feul cost, the nation's seven network passerger airlines was confronted with the second consecutive loss and the operating loss of  has reached over1.32billion dollarsin the first quater of 2008.

The nation's seven network passenger airlines collectively made an operating loss of more than $1.32 billion in the first quarter of 2008, compared with an operating profit of $559 million in the same quarter of 2007.

Operating loss margin, which measures profit or loss as a percentage of total operating revenue, was 5.2 percent in the quarter, a decrease of 7.7 percent compared with the year-ago quarter when there was an operating profit margin of 2.5 percent.

It was the airlines' second consecutive quarterly loss following a six-month run of profitable quarters. The operating loss margin in fourth quarter of 2007 was 1.1 percent.

According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, fuel cost the seven airlines $7.9 billion, or 29.4 percent of their operating expenses during the quarter, compared with 13.8 percent in the first quarter of 2003.

Fuel costs were 4.5 cents per available seat-mile in the quarter, compared with 3.04 cents in the same quarter last year and 1.65 cents in the first quarter of 2003.

Regional airlines Atlantic Southeast, Fort Worth-based American Eagle airlines and Horizon spent the most for fuel per available seat mile while regional airline ExpressJet airlines and low-cost airlines Southwest airlines Co. and JetBlue Airways spent the least.

The network carriers reported unit costs of 15.3 cents per available seat mile in the first quarter, up from 13.1 cents per available seat mile in the first quarter of 2007.

The carriers with the highest unit costs were regional airlines Horizon, Atlantic Southeast and American Eagle. The lowest unit costs were reported by low-cost carriers JetBlue, Allegiant and Southwest.

The network carrier group unit revenues were 14.6 cents per available seat miles, compared with 13.5 cents in the first quarter last year.