EasyJet on track to narrow annual losses after record bounceback in demand

The airline said it expects to deliver underlying pre-tax profits of between £470m and £490m over its final quarter to September 30 as passenger numbers soared to 24m and revenues leapt to around £2.5bn from £1bn a year ago.

It signalled resilient demand despite the cost-of-living crisis, with its flight programme during October and Christmas weeks back to levels seen before the pandemic.

The group is expecting to fly 20m seats in the last three months of 2022 – up 30 per cent on a year ago – while it added it was already seeing demand for next summer.

The carrier insisted that efforts to tackle staff shortages and disruption meant its operational performance since the beginning of July was now better than in the final quarter before Covid hit.

It comes after holidaymakers were hit by flight delays and cancellations alongside lengthy queues as airports struggled to cope with the sudden ramping up of demand for overseas holidays.