Aer Lingus confident of small profit

AER LINGUS expects to report a small operating profit for the second half of 2009 but will scale back operations at Gatwick.

Its shares soared more than 7% yesterday to 67 cent on the back of the announcements.

The airline said better than expected yields in the second half of last year and cost and capacity management actions in the period will enable it to report the profit after exceptional items.