Southwest Airlines 1Q helped by lower fuel prices

DALLAS (AP) — Lower fuel prices and solid bookings bolstered Southwest Airlines in its first quarter, and it topped Wall Street's profit expectations.

Removing one-time charges and benefits, earnings were 88 cents per share, which was 4 cents better than analysts had expected, according to a poll by Zacks Investment Research.

Fuel costs totaled $1.78 per gallon, compared with $2 a gallon in the prior-year period.