US Airways loss smaller than expected

US Airways Group Inc posted on Tuesday a narrower quarterly loss than analysts had expected as fuel costs rose. The airline said its loss, excluding special items, was $110 million, or 68 cents per share. This compares with a loss of $89m, or 55 cents per share, in the year-earlier period.

Analysts had forecast a loss of 72 cents a share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Total revenues were $3 billion, up 11.7 per cent. Operating expenses were also $3bn, up 12.8 per cent, due primarily to a $272m jump in fuel costs.