BA profits up 57%

04/08/2006 - 08:23:34
British Airways said today it made pre-tax profits of £195m (€288.1m) in the three months to the end of June – an increase of 57% on a year ago.

The airline said the improvement came despite a 44% jump in fuel costs to £512m (€756.4m) and a 7% rise in employee costs, mainly due to pension commitments.

Chief executive Willie Walsh said that BA’s recent low fares offer in the short-haul market had been a “big success”, despite “brutal” competition.