Business: Ryanair announces after tax profits of £50m

Ryanair has announced that it has increased its profits after tax by 49% to £50m in the first six months of its financial year. Turnover in the period was up 37% to £209m. During the period Ryanair carried 3.8 million passengers which is 1 million more passengers than in the same period last year. The increased numbers were due to a combination of the opening of ten new routes and the better yield returns. In a statement from the airline this morning it pointed to the success of its web site as a highlight of this year. It says that before the site was up and running some 60% of its bookings came via the traditional travel agent route. This, it says, is now down to less than 10%.