United Airlines said Tuesday that its Q1 profit doubled to US$292m as it carried more passengers and limited costs other than fuel. The results beat Wall Street expectations for a quarter that began with the partial govt shutdown, which dinged travel by federal employees, and ended with Boeing 737 Max jets grounded around the world. The airline gave an upbeat forecast of Q2 revenue trends. However, United did not raise its full-year earnings prediction. CE Oscar Munoz said the latest results vindicated a strategy of adding more flights, investing in customer service and managing costs. The Q2 is likely to benefit slightly by having Easter travel fall entirely in April, unlike last year. At United, that could be offset, however, by the additional costs of managing around the grounding of its 14 Max planes. <br/>
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Asiana Airlines' creditors are working on a financial support plan for the debt-laden carrier that would target a sale of the airline and its 2 budget affiliates over the next 6 months, its main creditor said. Lee Dong-gull, chairman of Korea Development Bank (KDB), said Tuesday that the creditors plan to a come up with a financial plan for the carrier by April 25, with a goal to sign a preliminary deal in late April or early May. Shares of Asiana jumped by as much as nearly 30% to a 4-year high Tuesday, extending their recent rally. Its top shareholder, Kumho Industrial, said Monday that it plans to sell its entire 33.5% stake to receive creditor support. KDB's Lee said creditors plan to provide "enough support" to stabilise Asiana management and regain market trust, without disclosing details. <br/>
The family of a Kenyan man who died in a Boeing 737 Max 8 that crashed in Ethiopia last month filed a complaint against the planemaker in a court in Illinois. The family alleged that Boeing failed to properly inform pilots about the dangers presented by sensors that malfunctioned on the doomed jet, and caused the “wrongful death” of their kin. The legal team will let the jury determine the amount of compensation to be paid, Texas-licensed lawyer Nomaan Husain said. “Right now we are not looking at Ethiopian Airlines at all” because initial information shows pilots followed procedure, Husain said. The parents of another American victim are also making a claim against Boeing, Ethiopian, and aircraft-sensor maker Rosemount Aerospace for negligence. <br/>