UNITED LOSES $1.8 BILLION, AIMS TO SHIFT FOCUS TO RECOVERY

United Airlines financial hole grew deeper over the summer as a modest recovery in air travel slowed down, pushing the carrier to a loss of $1.84 billion in the typically strong third quarter.

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The airline said that revenue plummeted 78% from a year earlier. The loss was worse than analysts had expected.

The results from United, and those issued a day earlier by Delta Air Lines, reinforced the damage that the pandemic is doing to a major industry. Seven months into the worst of the coronavirus impact in the U.S., air travel remains down 65% from a year ago. The decline in lucrative business travel is even deeper.

United executives believe investors are less interested in current losses and more interested in what the airline plans to do to improve its competitive position when travel recovers.

CEO Scott Kirby said the airline has “successfully executed our initial crisis strategy” and is ready to move on.