EasyJet traffic up 6.7% in July

Traffic at low-cost carrier EasyJet was up 6.7% in July to 7.5m passengers, while the load factor – which gauges how full the flights were – nudged up to 95.8% from 94.3%.

On a rolling 12-month basis, traffic was up 6.8% to 72.3m and the load factor ticked just a touch higher to 91.7% from 91.4%.

In July, shares in the budget airline slumped after it posted a drop in revenue per seat and total revenue for the third quarter amid difficult trading that was hit by the terror attack in Brussels and the Egyptair tragedy.

For the quarter ended 30 June, total revenue per seat was down 8.3% at constant currency or 7.7% on reported basis to £54.54, while total revenue fell by 2.6% to £1.196bn as increased seat capacity was offset by the impact on yield of overall market capacity and cancellations as a result of external events.

EasyJet said its commercial and operational performance was affected by the Brussels attack and Egyptair tragedy, air traffic control strikes and congestion, runway closures at Gatwick airport and severe weather leading to 1,221 cancellations.