Underlying increase in easyJet passengers in December

6th Jan 2012 07:04

No-frills airline easyJet saw a sharp year-on-year increase in the number of passengers carried in December, helped by the absence of severe weather conditions this time round.The number of passengers carried rose 13.1% to 4.14m from 3.66m in December 2010. The load factor eased, however, to 85.6% from 85.8% the year before."In December 2010, there was significant disruption from adverse weather with 2,000 sectors cancelled in the month against 149 sectors cancelled in December 2011. Consequently, underlying passenger numbers (adjusting for disruption) were 4% higher in December 2011, whilst underlying load factor was one percentage point up on last year," a company statement revealed.On a rolling three-months basis, the load factor has improved to 87.5% from 87.2% in the corresponding period of 2010. The number of passengers carried in the final three months of the year rose 11.6% to 55.47m from 49.72m in the corresponding period of 2010.jh