US scheduled passenger airlines reported a net profit of $3.2 billion in the third quarter of 2013, an increase from a profit of $1.4 billion in the third quarter of 2012, the US Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) has reported.
BTS, a part of the Department's Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that the 26 scheduled service airlines reported an after-tax net profit for the second consecutive quarter.
In addition to the after-tax Net Income reports, the scheduled service passenger airlines reported a $4.7 billion pre-tax operating profit in the third quarter of 2013, up from $2.6 billion profit in the third quarter of 2012. The airlines reported a pre-tax operating profit - as a group - for the 11th consecutive quarter.
Total revenue for all passenger airlines in the third-quarter of 2013 was $43.2 billion. All US passenger airlines collected a total of $879 million in baggage fees and $735 million from reservation change fees from July through September 2013.
Total operating expenses for all passenger airlines in the third-quarter of 2013 were $38.5 billion, of which $10.9 billion, or 28 percent, was used for fuel costs.
The 10 largest scheduled passenger airlines reported an after-tax net profit of $2.9 billion in the third quarter of 2013, an increase from a profit of $1.4 billion in the third quarter of 2012. The largest airlines carried 80.4 percent of U.S. airlines' scheduled service passengers in the third quarter of 2013.
In addition to the after-tax Net Income reports, the largest airlines reported a $4.2 billion pre-tax operating profit in the third quarter of 2013, up from a $2.4 billion pre-tax operating profit in the third quarter of 2012.