=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SF Gate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/news/archive/2003/08/26/f= inancial1512EDT0189.DTL ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesday, August 26, 2003 (AP) Air France posts 98 percent plunge in first-quarter profit (08-26) 12:12 PDT PARIS (AP) -- Air France Group on Tuesday posted a 98 percent drop in profit in the first quarter as the Iraq war, the SARS virus and French strikes took a toll on traffic. The French carrier earned euro4 million ($4.3 million) in the April-to-June period, down from euro159 million a year earlier as the war and severe acute respiratory syndrome dealt a blow to the travel industry. In France, massive spring strikes over the government's attempts to refo= rm the pension system also cut back traffic. Despite the steep drop, Air France's bottom line came in better than the loss of euro20 million ($21.7 million) that analysts expected. Air France said its bottom line was propped up by a euro11 million ($12 million) gain in connection with Air France shares owned by the company. The airline had already reported a 9.2 percent drop in revenue for the period to euro3.009 billion ($3.270 billion). The company said a rebound in traffic that began in June and July had continued in the first three weeks of August. =20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2003 AP