EasyJet to land £200m as budget airlines fly higher

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

Despite tax attacks on travellers, such as Gordon Brown's £2 billion passenger duty, and the green lobby's warnings over air travel, easyJet today reported that over the past year it carried 37.2 million people throughout Europe, 4.2 million or 13% more than in the previous year.

The carrier has attracted passengers by cutting fares by an average of 6.8% over the past 12 months but has increased revenues by charging for bags, selling food and drink more vigorously on its planes and getting its customers to buy its car hire and hotel packages.

As easyJet spreads its wings - it has concentrated on expanding in Italy and Spain and new services will make it France's leading budget carrier - unit costs have fallen 10%.

"We have achieved significant improvement in margins despite the doubling of air passenger duty in the UK and record fuel prices," said chief executive Andy Harrison.

The airline had already told analysts to expect profit growth of up to 50% in the year to end-September.

Those earnings, easyJet said today, will actually grow by more than half again for the second year running after it reversed the write-off of its investment in the part-privatised air traffic controller Nats.

It has re-valued its 6% stake in Nats at £11 million, having written off its initial investment of £7 million five years ago when Nats was bailed out by the Government.

More

Much of Friends of the Earth's campaign on aircraft pollution has been centred around plans to expand Heathrow airport, where easyJet does not fly. But the general issues regarding Friends of the Earth's claims about the environmental impact of flying can be accessed by clicking here

Another major pressure group lobbying on the issue of the expansion of air travel is:
www.planestupid.com

For the airlines' view, click here