United Airlines posted a smaller loss than analysts had expected in the past quarter despite the weeks-long grounding of Boeing 737-9 Max aircraft.
The temporary grounding of several dozen Boeing aircraft in January cost the US airline around $200 million. Without this burden, United would have closed the quarter with a profit, the airline said after the US stock exchange closed on Tuesday.
The share price rose by around 5% at times in after-hours trading on Tuesday.
The bottom line was a loss of $124 million, compared to a loss of $194 million in the same quarter last year. The adjusted loss per share was $0.15, while analysts had expected an average of $0.57.
Turnover grew by 9.7% to $12.54 billion - slightly above market expectations.
In January, more than 170 passengers on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max narrowly escaped an accident when a door-sized section of the fuselage blew out during a climb. Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft were temporarily grounded as a result.
According to initial findings, experts from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) believe that four fastening bolts were missing from the fuselage fragment.
All other aircraft of the same model were inspected and then allowed to fly again.
Following the incident, Boeing is not allowed to expand production of the 737 MAX models for the time being - which means that United could also be slower to receive new aircraft and expand capacity than planned.
The airline has announced that it intends to book 35 aircraft from Boeing rival Airbus with leasing companies in 2026 and 2027.