United Airlines loses $194 million but sees 2Q turnaround

United Airlines said Tuesday that it lost $194 million in the first quarter, but its revenue soared compared with last year, and the airline said consumer demand remains strong despite economic uncertainty. 

United predicted that results in the April-through-June quarter will be slightly better than Wall Street expects. 

Like Delta Air Lines, which reported financial results last week, United faces much higher costs for labor and fuel than it did a year ago. Both, however, were upbeat about strong ticket sales heading into the crucial summer travel season. 

“We are watching the macroeconomic risks carefully, but demand remains strong, especially internationally, where we are growing at twice the domestic rate," CEO Scott Kirby said in a statement.