United sees drop in Q1 revenue from winter storms

[DALLAS] United Continental Holdings Inc said winter storms that forced the cancellation of more than 22,500 flights will erode a benchmark revenue gauge this quarter at the world's second-largest airline.

Revenue for each seat flown a mile will drop by 0.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent from a year earlier across all of the carrier's operations, United said on Thursday in a US regulatory filing. United said in January that it expected consolidated first-quarter unit revenue to be unchanged or rise by as much as 2 per cent.

The filing offered a glimpse at the financial fallout for the US industry from a winter travel season plagued by delays and cancellations outstripping those of recent years.