British Airways gave everyone a surprise when they reported a £25 million profit for the 3Q. However, they are still warning that their full year report will show a huge loss.

Analysts thought that the carrier would have up to £100 million in losses for the three months until December, but tough cost cutting measure eased the airline out of the red for the first time in over a year. However, the 9-month period still had an £86 million operating loss in comparison to the £89 million in profit from the same period the year before. The airline also saw a 12.9% decline in revenues to £6.14 billion.

British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh said that the increase in performance during the 3Q is testament to their cost cutting choices and reinforces their need for even more restructuring. They have clearly taken the correct steps to improve, but they aren’t getting carried away, as it’s still tough in the market, he added.

These figures come as the airline’s cabin crew is voting for a strike for the second time in protest to changes in pay and working conditions – steps the airline is taking to prevent even further losses and the chance of the company going bankrupt. The first action, which was to be a 12-day stoppage over Christmas and into New Year’s, was ruled illegal by a high court judge on grounds that the ballot included cabin crew that had taken voluntary redundancy, and therefore no longer worked for the company.

If the current ballot is passed, then a strike could start as soon as March 1. This would only further damage the company, even though British Airways is trying to fight it by recruiting members of their staff to train as cabin crew to keep some flights going.