Southwest Says It’s ‘Hopeful’ of Return to Second-Half Profit
- Business bookings continue to improve amid leisure surge
- Early employee recalls, higher fuel prices to increase costs
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Southwest Airlines Co. said it was “hopeful” of returning to profitability in the third and fourth quarters, amid concerns over the financial impact of a coronavirus variant and a recent rash of flight delays.
The potential for an adjusted profit excludes any benefit from billions of dollars in airline aid provided by the U.S. government, Southwest said Thursday as it reported second-quarter results. The carrier recorded a profit in June, not counting federal funds, its first since the pandemic began. Delta Air Lines Inc. and United Airlines Holdings Inc. have both predicted a return to profit.