(Corrects year earlier H1 underlying profit before tax to A$959 mln from A$976 mln)
Feb 21 (Reuters) - Australia's Qantas Airways Ltd QAN.AX on Thursday reported a near 19 percent fall in half-year profit, as increased international revenue failed to fully offset a margin squeeze from higher fuel prices.
Underlying profit before tax, its most closely watched measure, fell to A$780 million ($558.48 million) for the six months ended Dec. 31, from A$959 million a year ago.
Qantas, which had not provided first-half earnings guidance, said it would return A$500 million to shareholders through dividends and a share buyback. ($1 = 1.3966 Australian dollars)
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