American post cost of Septemer 11.

Wednesday January 16, 10:44 AM

[h2]Attacks take their toll on American Airlines[/h2]
DALLAS (Reuters) – AMR Corp, parent of American Airlines, has reported a fourth-quarter loss of $798 million (556 million pounds) after special items as a weak economy and concerns about security after the September 11 attacks take their toll on revenues at the world’s biggest airline.

Fort Worth, Texas-based AMR said the loss amounted to $5.17 per share, compared with a profit of $47 million or 29 cents per share in the same quarter last year.

It also said it was bringing forward retirement of its fleet of Boeing 717 100-seater aircraft to June this year under an agreement with Boeing.

Excluding one-off items, mainly write-offs for idling planes and employee charges but also including government cash aid of $29 million in the wake of the September 11 attacks, AMR said the loss was $734 million or $4.75 per share, compared to earnings of $56 million or 34 cents a share a year earlier.

AMR said total operating revenues fell to $3.8 billion from $4.9 billion a year earlier.

Wall Street analysts had expected AMR to post a loss between $4.00 and $6.00 per share, with a mean estimated loss of $4.98 per share, according to research firm Thomson Financial/First Call.

Well, I have to say, that means the 717 is now practically retired. Presumably, the aircraft in question are the ones ordered by TWA, before it (TWA) was bought by Boeing.