ATLANTA (AP) — The parent of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air did what several of its larger rivals couldn’t in the first three months of the year: turn a profit.
Alaska Air Group Inc., based in Seattle, said Thursday it earned $5.3 million, or 15 cents a share, in the first quarter, compared to a loss of $19.2 million, or 53 cents a share, a year earlier.
Excluding special items, its profit was 36 cents a share in the latest quarter.
Revenue rose 11.8 percent to $829.9 million from $742.4 million a year earlier.
Analysts expected an adjusted profit of 35 cents a share on revenue of $816.4 million.
The carrier’s low costs and largely domestic focus have helped it thrive.
