Aer Lingus has reported operating profits of €94.6m for the third quarter of 2011, an increase of 19.4% on the same time last year, as the company said it performed positively over the key summer months.
In an interim management statement, the airline said that revenues for the three months from July to September rose by 5.9% to €435.8m. Short-haul passenger fare revenues increased by 7.6% to €268.3m with some leisure routes remaining weak. Long-haul passenger fare revenues rose by 2.6% to €100.4m with business class revenues performing well.
The company said its ''strong'' third quarter performance was due to the commercial, operational and cost reductions taken by the company since 2009 and came despite the impact of higher airport charges and fuel costs and increased competition in the long-haul market.
Aer Lingus says it expects its full year 2011 operating results, before exceptional items, will be at the upper end of the range of current market expectations.
The company also said that its operating profit for the year to date is up 11% to €66.8m compared to the same time last year. The airline reported the rise despite a difficult start to the year with trading was affected by the cabin crew dispute in January and February as well as difficult demand conditions.
Passenger fare revenues for the nine months to September rose by 8% to €615.8m, with the average short-haul yield per passenger up by 7.4% and long-haul revenue per passenger rising by 0.5%.
''These results were achieved against a backdrop of difficult trading conditions,' commented Aer Lingus chief executive Christoph Mueller.
''Demand in our primary markets continues to be impacted by consumer concerns about the future and the ongoing euro zone debt crisis. We are also affected by high airport charges and are now exposed to higher fuel prices than earlier this year,'' he said.
''Despite these challenges, we are satisfied with Aer Lingus' operating profit for the first nine months of 2011,' he added.
