WASHINGTON — United Airlines on Tuesday projected its 2008 fuel bill to hit $9.5 billion based on current prices, or more than $3.5 billion higher than last year.
The carrier made the forecast in a statement submitted to back legislation aimed at enabling additional regulation of oil-futures trading, where volatility has spurred record prices.
United also estimated that second-quarter passenger revenue will increase between 4 percent and 5 percent from a year ago. It said in an investor update that it will take significant second-quarter charges for impairment, severance and the termination of contracts in connection with cutbacks it announced this month.
Also, United parent UAL said it expects deferred-revenue accounting for its Mileage Plus frequent-flier program to decrease noncash consolidated passenger revenue by about $47 million in the second quarter. The Associated Press
