Jet2holidays carried 21% more holidaymakers this summer to 771,000 as trading improved, parent company Dart Group reported this morning.
Flight-only passengers grew by 8% to 3.07 million.
This led to leisure airline Jet2.com flying 4.6 million passengers in the half year to September 30 – an increase of 12% year on year but below increased capacity of 13%.
In a trading update, Dart Group said: “Summer 2014 trading in our leisure travel business improved in the later summer months as compared to the challenging market conditions experienced earlier in the season.”
But it added: “The period saw a reduction in average ticket yield of 1.6%, being particularly pronounced in our Canary Islands and eastern Mediterranean destinations.”
Winter 2014/15 bookings are said to continue to perform “in line with expectations” ahead of the important post-Christmas booking period.
The group’s operating profit for the six months to September 30 will be approximately 10% ahead of the same period in the previous year.
“However, increased losses are expected in the second half, which are a function of the continued expansion of our seasonal leisure travel operations,” the company added.
“The board is optimistic that current market expectations for full year operating profit will be exceeded.”
Dart is due to announce its interim results for the six months to September 30 on November 20.