U.S. AIRLINES REPORT MIXED RESULTS

   U.S. airlines reported mixed first-quarter results, with United’s parent
UAL Corp. posting lower profit, Northwest narrowing its losses, America
West’s increasing 3 percent and Southwest’s jumping 36.9 percent.
   UAL said its Asian traffic improved year-over-year for the first time
since September 1997, but that passenger revenue was off and cargo revenue
declined 3.3 percent to $208 million.
   Northwest said a $90-million pretax charge related to a strike caused a
net loss of $29 million in the first quarter, compared to a $71 million
gain last year.
   Southwest Airlines said net income in the first quarter rose 36.9
percent to $95.8 million, mainly due to expansion of the B737 operator’s
short-haul route network. Total revenue increased 14.1 percent to $1.1
billion. Freight revenue was flat at $25.1 million.
   America West earned $26 million, up from $25 million a year earlier,
while revenue rose 7.5 percent to $520 million.