easyJet makes a strong start to year
LOW cost airline easyJet, a key operator at Manchester and Liverpool John Lennon Airports, has got off to a flying start in its new financial year.
The European short haul specialist said total revenue for the first quarter (the three months to December 31) grew by 9.2% to £833m, on the back of improved load factors and other
effiency initiatives.
Revenue per seat grew by 8% at constant currency or by 3.9% on a reported basis to £53.87 per seat and passengers numbers increased by 6.2% to 13.7 million.
With around 80% of first half seats now booked, easyJet said it expects to contain first half loss before tax to between £50m and £75m compared to the £112mn loss reported in the first half of last year.
Chief executive Carolyn McCall, said: “easyJet has made a strong start to the year due to a combination of management action, competitor capacity reductions and the benign operating environment.
“The good performance in the quarter and the structurally advantageous position that easyJet occupies in the European short-haul market means we remain confident in our outlook for the business.
“Although the economic environment remains challenging, easyJet’s strong customer proposition, combined with the actions that management are taking ensures that easyJet is well positioned going forward to deliver sustainable growth and returns.”
The airline will increase its flights from Liverpool to 29 and Manchester to 32, including Moscow for the first time, later this year.
