Ebola fears have not hurt Delta Air Line’s bookings, with the carrier forecasting strong current-quarter margins.
The Atlanta-based carrier estimated an operating margin of 10% to 12%, up from 8.5% in the same quarter a year ago.
Delta is reducing capacity this winter to Moscow, Tel Aviv and Ebola-hit West Africa by 20%. These areas make up about 1% of the airline’s overall capacity.
“We monitor (the effects of Ebola) on a daily basis, and we have not seen any changes in the booking trends,” executive vice president Glen Hauenstein told Reuters after Delta reported its third-quarter earnings.
Delta plans to keep its international capacity flat next year, president Ed Bastian said.
The airline posted $1.6 billion in pre-tax income for the three months, excluding special items, up $431 million from a year earlier.
Traffic in the quarter increased 3.7% and capacity rose 3.2%. The load factor, edged up to 86.4% from 86%.
Delta said it expects to report record profit in the fourth quarter.
Note: In an earlier version of this article, the headline incorrectly stated that the carrier in question was United Airlines. This has now been corrected.