Air Canada adjusted quarterly profit drops 14.5%

Feb 18 (Reuters) - Air Canada on Tuesday reported a 14.5% fall in adjusted quarterly profit, hit by higher costs.

Canada’s largest carrier reported an adjusted net income of C$47 million ($35.5 million), or 17 Canadian cents per share, in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, compared with C$55 million, or 20 Canadian cents per share, a year earlier.

Operating revenue rose 4.8% C$4.43 billion. ($1 = 1.3257 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Allison Lampert and Ankit Ajmera; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)