Qantas points to improving outlook

Growth path: Qantas mascot The Flying Kangaroo welcoming travellers at Sydney Airport. The carrier remains on track to finalise an order for 40 Airbus narrowbody planes to begin renewing its domestic fleet. — Bloomberg

SYDNEY: The reopening of Australia’s internal and external borders has significantly boosted the outlook for Qantas Airways Ltd, although the Omicron Covid-19 outbreak has set back its business recovery plans by around six months.

Qantas yesterday posted a A$1.28bil (US$925.57mil or RM3.9bil) first-half underlying pre-tax loss in the six months ended Dec 31, steeper than the A$1.03bil (RM3.11bil) loss a year earlier.