Ryanair rises on passenger growth
Ryanair, Europe's biggest low-cost airline, has seen a jump in quarterly earnings as more people flew on its planes and the average price paid rose.
Net profit in the three months ending 30 June rose 21% to 64.4m euros (£44m; $78m) from a year earlier. Sales climbed by 35% to 404.60m euros.
Despite its better-than-expected profit the company was "cautious" about the outlook for the rest of the year.
It cited record oil prices and concerns about further bomb blasts in London.
Looking ahead
The Dublin-based carrier said that the price of jet fuel rose 55% during the first quarter compared with the same period a year earlier. Ryanair's fuel bill more than doubled to 110m euros.
Further terrorist attacks in London could have a downward impact on passenger volumes and yields
Michael O'Leary, Ryanair chief executive
The company said that sales dropped for "a number of days" following the bombs in London on 7 July and attempted blasts on 21 July.
"If there are no further such attacks in London then we expect that our forward bookings will not be materially impacted," the company said.
But Michael O'Leary, Ryanair chief executive, said that "further terrorist attacks in London could have a downward impact on passenger volumes and yields".
Ryanair said that higher prices at rivals such British Airways, Deutsche Lufhansa and Air France-KLM had helped to increase its passenger numbers.
Ryanair expects 35 million people to travel on its planes in the 12 months ending 31 March.
Should it hit that figure, then Mr O'Leary reckons he will have carried more passengers than British Airways.
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Published: 2005/08/02 06:30:57 GMT
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