easyJet set for a bumpy winter ride
EASYJET yesterday warned profits could be more than 40 per cent down this year because of soaring fuel bills.
The airline’s shares tumbled 37dp to 332dp.
It expects fuel to cost an extra £185million this year and followed Ryanair and British Airways by announcing it would slash the number of flights this winter.
Hardest hit will be Stansted, where capacity will be cut by 12 per cent. Some flights will be reallocated to Gatwick.
The airline warned profits would be down from £201.9million to between £110million and £120million for the year to September.
Chief executive Andy Harrison said he expected this winter to be “challenging for the whole airline sector”.
While easyJet passenger numbers rose 16 per cent to 11.5million for the third quarter to June, its planes were emptier.
The proportion of seats filled fell from 84.5 per cent to 83.5 per cent.