Delta, USAir Continue to Suffer Large Losses

Losses continued to pile up in the airline industry in the second quarter, with Delta Air Lines Inc. and USAir Group Inc. reporting large losses that they blamed in part on recent fare wars.

The two carriers, like other airlines, have been slammed by the weak economy and the much-publicized discount fare wars.

Atlanta-based Delta reported a fiscal fourth-quarter net loss of $180.2 million, or $3.72 a share, on revenue of $2.8 billion for the quarter ended June 30. This contrasts with a profit of $19.2 million, or 30 cents a share, on revenue of $2.5 billion a year earlier.

USAir Group, which operates USAir, said it lost $84.9 million, $2.08 a share, on revenue of $1.7 billion in the second quarter. During the same period last year, the Arlington, Va.-based carrier had a net loss of $56.8 million, $1.47 a share, on revenue of $1.7 billion.