EasyJet reports passenger growth

Low-cost airline easyJet today said it carried almost three million passengers in November, an increase of 3.4% on a year earlier.

The airline’s planes were also fuller during the month after its load factor measure rose to 83.9% from 80.8%, an improvement likely to reflect the removal of some lower yielding flights from its winter schedule.

The route changes also meant today’s growth in passenger numbers was down from the rate of around 20% seen in the summer, when figures were boosted by the addition of Gatwick-based British Airways subsidiary GB Airways.

Today’s figure of 2.98 million passengers gave easyJet a total for the 12 months to November of 44.37 million.

Shares rose 2% following the monthly update.

Yesterday, British Airways said it carried just over 2.42 million passengers last month – 7.8% fewer than the 2.63 million figure for November 2007. Ryanair also revealed yesterday that passenger numbers rose 11% to 4.3 million last month, while its load factor was 1% higher at 79%.