CNN-I......Air France-KLM has a 1.7 BILLION...Profit!

[SoCalDem]

and they have unions..and our airlines are mostly in and out of bankruptcy..
and they pay high fuel prices too

BUT....I wonder how often their CEOs raid the piggy bank..:eyes:

...........................................

Air France-KLM's Net Surges
On Traffic Growth, Cost Savings
By DAVID PEARSON

PARIS -- Air France-KLM, the world's largest airline group by revenue, said its fourth-quarter net profit rose sixfold, fueled by solid traffic growth in its main markets and continued cost-cutting efforts.

Net profit at the French-Dutch group was €43 million ($57.9 million), or 15 European cents a share, up from €7 million, or three European cents a share, in the year-earlier period. Revenue for the quarter increased 3.7% to €5.39 billion from €5.2 billion.

Full-year net profit came in at €891 million, down from €913 million in the 2005-2006 financial year, but the year-earlier figure was boosted by a capital gain from Air France-KLM's stake in Amadeus. Adjusted for that impact, net profit jumped 80%.

Air France-KLM said that it continues to reap the benefits of Challenge 10, a three-year cost-cutting plan initiated last spring. The 2006-2007 net profit came in well above an average estimate of €828 million of a panel of five analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires. Earnings per share dipped to €3.35 from €3.47 in 2005-2006. The company said that in view of the sturdy earnings growth in 2006-2007 it plans to raise its dividend by 60% to 48 European cents a share.

snip......


http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct=us/0-0&fp=4655edb9c9ebc5ca&ei=g2pVRs3oNIXoqgOS0JCBDg&url=http%3A//online.wsj.com/article/SB117998629926213224.html%3Fmod%3Dgooglenews_wsj&cid=1116633645&sig2=sxP3n8Yjqtw9ISfdPimivw

[Tyler Durden]

1. Guess those 35 hour work weeks aren't "uncompetitive" after all. n/t

[SoCalDem]

2. and don't they still feed their passengers too? n/t

[wakeme2008]

3. Another MAJOR difference is those airlines work in countries

that have NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE.....

[SoCalDem]

4. and the poor peeeeeeple pay such high taxxxxes..

and all they get out of it is :
job security
old age security
unemployment money until they get another job
generous paid maternity-family care leaves
5-6 weeks paid vacation every year
free (or nearly free)health care
free (or nearly free) college
worldclass public transportation..

Those poooooor folks... I bet they all want to trade places with us.. :eyes: