Business
No-frills airline Easyjet has reported a 21% rise in annual pre-tax profits, due to increased capacity growth. The BBC reports:
Profits rose to £581m for the 12 months to end of September, up from £478m in the previous year.
The UK carrier also said it had transported 64.8 million passengers - marking a 7% rise.
Chief executive Carolyn McCall said EasyJet had "opened up clear blue sky" between the airline and its competitors.
Bookings for the current six months are slightly ahead of a year earlier, EasyJet said, adding that the airline will grow capacity by about 3.5 percent in the first half and by about 5 percent in the full year. Bloomberg News reports:
The airline has strengthened its presence at Gatwick, its single biggest base, after agreeing to pay Flybe Group Plc 20 million pounds for 25 pairs of take-off and landing slots last year.
It is also ramping up at business destinations such as Amsterdam Schiphol and Hamburg, Germany.
Ryanair Holdings Plc and Vueling Airlines SA are also looking to expand as more established operators strive to streamline short-haul operations and develop their own low-cost units.
EasyJet enjoyed a 5 million-pound sales boost from Air France strikes earlier this year, adding more than 3,000 seats in France between Sept. 15 and 25.
