The owner of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays saw half-year profits soar thanks to an “exceptional” summer season.
Dart Group recorded a pre-tax profit up 66% to £146.8 million in the six months to September 30 as revenue rose by 14% to more than £1 billion.
The group’s travel interests contributed revenue growth of 15% to £951.7 million as Jet2holidays carried 22% more holidaymakers at 940,000 or 42% of overall flown passengers.
Flight-only numbers declined to 2.65 million from 3.07 million in the same period in 2014.
Jet2.com flew 4.53 million passengers, down 2% year-on-year against a backdrop of careful seat capacity management as the fleet grew to by four aircraft to 59 for the summer, according to the company.
However, a record load factor of 94.1% was achieved together with a 16% rise in Jet2.com’s average net ticket yield, helped by increased flying to eastern Mediterranean sun destinations.
Winter bookings are continuing to perform in line with expectations ahead of the peak post-Christmas booking period.
Chairman, Philip Meeson, said that the company was “optimistic that current market expectations for the full year will be achieved” after “what has proven to be an exceptional summer season”.
He added: “We will continue to develop our customer-focused flying programme into summer 2016, which will include the addition of two new destinations – Girona and Naples.”
The group announced plans in September to acquire 27 new Boeing 737-800s worth $2.6 billion for delivery between September 2016 and April 2018.