Friday, January 29, 2016
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — American Airlines reported a record profit for the fourth quarter and all of 2015 as a sharp drop in fuel prices more than offset lower revenue.
The world's biggest airline said today that its earnings were the highest ever for any carrier. American is poised for another big year – airline officials said they expect to save another $2 billion on fuel in 2016.
American executives said the outbreak of the Zika virus and a government warning to pregnant women about traveling to Latin America and the Caribbean seemed to be having no effect on their business.
Like other airlines, American says it will give refunds or rebook pregnant women who were planning trips to areas affected by the virus, which has been linked to birth defects in Brazil.
American officials said they didn't know how many customers have asked for refunds, but airline president Scott Kirby said "it has not been a meaningful number."