SEOUL, Oct. 15 (Yonhap) -- Korean Air Co., South Korea's flag carrier, said Thursday its third-quarter net profit jumped more than tenfold from a year earlier, driven by robust passenger and cargo demand and a stronger Korean won.
The airline's net profit for the July-September period reached 929.7 billion won (US$692.2 million) on a nonconsolidated basis, compared with 91.9 billion won a year earlier, according to its preliminary earnings report.
Operating profit rose 12 percent on-year to 421.2 billion won, while sales climbed 26 percent to a record quarterly high of 5.04 trillion won.
Passenger revenue increased by 496.3 billion won on-year to 2.91 trillion won, supported by strong inbound travel demand to South Korea.
Cargo revenue rose by 365.6 billion won to an estimated 1.43 trillion won, driven by robust shipments of high-value goods, including semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI)-related products.
Korean Air said its passenger business could face pressure in the fourth quarter from rising fuel costs amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Korean Air Co.'s B-787 is seen in this photo provided by the airline on Oct. 15, 2026. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
ejkim@yna.co.kr
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