Lufthansa reports Q2 profit of $252 million

BERLIN: Airline group Deutsche Lufthansa AG says it made a net profit of euro194 million ($252 million) in the second quarter, more than twice last year's euro89 million, as ticket sales recovered.

The German company said Thursday that revenue in the April-June period rose to euro6.9 billion from euro5.2 billion in 2009.

It said the quarterly operating profit reached euro159 million — triple last year's euro52 million.

Still, because of a weaker first quarter, the airline's made a net loss of euro104 million ($135 million) in the January-June period due to factors including a strike by pilots and airspace closures caused by ash from an Icelandic volcano.

The Lufthansa group also includes Swiss International Airlines, Austrian Airlines and Britain's BMI.