London - British Airways (BA) Friday reported a pre-tax loss of 70 million pounds (100 million dollars) in the nine months to 31 December, compared with a profit of 816 million pounds in the same period in 2007.

BA said Friday that the decline in the value of the pound and the airline's high costs in dollars added to pressures of last summer's steep oil price rise.

"The industry continues to face very difficult trading conditions on the back of a weak economic environment," the airline said.

It said fuel costs climbed by 48 per cent to 2.2 billion pounds. But BA said it would begin to benefit from falling fuel prices in the 2009/2010 financial year.

The airline had already warned that it expects to make an operating loss of about 150 million pounds in the 2008/2009 financial year, ending on March 31. (dpa)