DELTA DOWN BUT BETTER THAN AT ANY TIME SINCE 9/11 AND WHEN FUEL COSTS ARE NOT A PROBLEM YOU HAVE TO BE UPBEAT

Delta Air Lines reported its first fourth-quarter profit in a decade this week on the back of improved revenue from ticket sales and other associated products and services. The poor weather conditions took their toll with earnings missing analysts’ expectations, sending shares down 5.5% to $12.05 at one point before the open yesterday. These figures are more important than many we have seen because they continue to confirm that a rebound in travel and tourism is well under way in the US market and is solid lifting earnings among airlines, it also shows that although fuel prices threaten the industry’s