Air France profits down 46 percent

Spinetta said the airline industry was facing the prospect of a "prolonged crisis"

PARIS, France -- Air France has suffered a fall in net profits of 46 percent and said the attacks on the U.S. on September 11 were partly to blame.

The Associated Press reported the airline as saying that figures from the second quarter of the year showed net profit of 88 million euros ($77.6 million), compared to 163 million euros ($143.8 million) on the same period a year ago.

Operating profit was 72 million euros ($63 million), down 69 percent from the same period last year, the company said.

The carrier estimated the U.S. terror attacks cost it 150 million euros ($132 million) in revenue and 127 million euros ($112 million) in operating profit. Revenue for the quarter stood at 3.21 billion euros ($2.83 billion).

The company said air traffic fell by 10 percent in October and eight percent in November compared to the previous year.

"Today the industry is facing what is likely to be a prolonged crisis," chairman Jean-Cyril Spinetta said in the statement.

The company was upbeat about its future, however, saying its own November traffic was still down but was falling less sharply than its competitors.

Air France also said it was gaining market share and relying on more routes to Africa, the French West Indies and Indian Ocean, where traffic has been strong, as well as its domestic market.