ATLANTA (AP) -- Delta Air Lines on Tuesday reported first-quarter earnings of $179 million, or $1.33 per share, compared with $201 million, or $1.31 per share, for the same period a year ago.
The results did not include a one-time gain of $73 million from Delta's sale of 1.2 million shares of priceline.com stock. With that profit included, Delta earned $223 million, or $1.67 per share.The earnings soundly beat the forecast of $1.10 per share by analysts surveyed by First Call/Thompson Financial.
The Atlanta-based carrier posted record revenues of $4 billion in the quarter, up from $3.5 billion a year earlier. Revenues were aided by a potential strike last month at rival USAirways that drove many travelers to Delta, which most closely matches USAirways' routes.
USAirways flight attendants agreed to a last-minute contract that averted a shutdown, but uncertainty over a possible strike helped Delta fly a record 28 million people in the quarter.