U.S. flight carrier Delta Air Lines said Wednesday that it expected a hit of about 200 million U.S. dollars to its fourth-quarter profit due to the recent U.S. federal government shutdown.
The 43-day shutdown, which spurred regulators to curb air traffic at major airports last month, would dent the company's earnings by about 25 cents per share, Delta CEO Ed Bastian told investors.
The longest shutdown on record in U.S. history, which ended on Nov 12, has disrupted tens of thousands of flights across the country. In early November, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a reduction in flights at 40 of the busiest airports due to a shortage of air-traffic controllers.
During the 10 days of flight restrictions, Delta's bookings dropped by 5 percent to 10 percent, with business travel softening and refunds surging, Bastian said.
U.S. gov't shutdown costs Delta Air Lines 200 mln USD
