Delta Air Lines has posted a $7 million net profit for the financial quarter ending December 31st, including $231 million in special charges.

The figure is down from a $425 million profit a year earlier.

Total passenger revenue increased three per cent and passenger unit revenue increased 4.3 per cent.

Hurricane Sandy “negatively impacted the refinery start-up”, resulting in a $63 million loss for the quarter, according to a statement from the company.

The airline also reported a $75 million revenue decline resulting from the storm.

Full-year 2012 results included net income that increased 18 per cent from a year earlier to just over $1 billion, and $31.8 billion in total passenger revenue, up five per cent from 2011.