AHUGE65% growth in passenger numbers has helped EasyJet to record its first ever annual pre-tax profit figure.
The Luton-based no-frills airline made ú2.3m pre-tax profit in the year to September 30. In 1996/97, it made a loss of ú3.3m. Annual passenger numbers jumped from 1m in the 1997 financial year to 1.7m in 1998 after new European routes were added by the carrier from Luton and Liverpool.
This year, the airline expects further improvements when it takes delivery of eight more Boeing 737-300s to take its fleet to 20 of the type.
It is currently setting up a base in Switzerland and is expected to base aircraft in Athens and Amsterdam for intra-European flights in 1999.