Ryanair reports profit growth on higher passenger numbers and increased fares

Irish low-cost airline Ryanair has reported a sharp rise in third-quarter net profit due to increased passenger numbers and higher fares.
Profit after tax amounted to €149 million for the three months to the end of December, compared with €15 million a year earlier, the Dublin-based carrier said in a statement.
Traffic rose 9% to 45 million passengers on marginally higher fares. Group revenue jumped 10% to almost three billion euros.
Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said full-year net profit could reach as much as €1.61bn.
"The final result remains dependent on avoiding adverse external events between now and the end of March," he noted, referring to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, further delays to Boeing aircraft deliveries and poor air traffic control management/understaffing in Europe.
O'Leary expects traffic for the full year to reach nearly 200 million passengers, an annual increase of 9%. | BGNES, AFP