Delta navigates nasty winter, tops profit forecast

DALLAS - Delta (DAL) is making more money by filling more seats on its planes and fuel costs inch downward from last year.

Delta Air Lines Inc. said Wednesday that net income in the first quarter was $213 million, up from $7 million a year earlier.

Excluding items such as restructuring costs, Delta earned 33 cents per share. Analysts were expecting 29 cents per share.

Revenue is up 5 percent to $8.92 billion, matching analyst forecasts.

Passengers did 4 percent more flying than in the same period last year even though bad weather caused Delta to cancel more than 17,000 flights in January and February. The storms cut Delta's revenue by $90 million.