Easyjet narrows losses over winter

EasyJet expects second-half revenue to rise, helped by a growing band of business travellers paying higher fares to help Europe’s second-largest low-cost carrier overcome higher fuel costs.

The Luton-based airline posted a pre-tax loss of £112m for the six months to March, compared with a £153m loss in the equivalent period for 2010/11.

Its first-half revenue rose 16 per cent to £1.465bn, while the number of passengers carried grew 5.4 per cent to 25.2m, as it continued to grow its share of the shorthaul business travel market.

The airline, which has increased the number of flights between top business destinations, said today that nearly half its summer seats had been sold.

Chief executive Carolyn McCall said that would help boost revenues per seat by “the low to mid single-digit range”.