CHICAGO (Reuters) — AMR Corp., parent of No. 1 US air carrier American Airlines, swung to an $81 million profit yesterday from a year-ago loss as it filled more seats on planes, charged higher fares and paid less for fuel.AMR, whose shares rose more than 4.5 percent, is the first major US airline to report first-quarter results. Its profit may set the tone for the industry, which endured several high-profile, weather-related cancellations in the first three months of this year.

Airlines have been battered since 2001 by terrorism concerns, low-fare competition and soaring fuel prices. In 2006, the companies started to mount a recovery, which experts predicted would continue in 2007.

“This is a good omen, despite the problem in the first quarter with storms,” said Ray Neidl, an analyst at Calyon Securities. Neidl said AMR’s results were strong in light of a spike in oil prices, which were directly related to jet fuel prices, in March.

Net profit of $81 million, or 30 cents per share, in the first quarter, compared with a loss of $92 million, or 49 cents, in the same quarter of 2006. Analysts had expected AMR to earn 31 cents per share, according to Reuters Estimates.