Europe's biggest airline Easyjet has seen its number of passengers carried in January rise by 43.5%.

The discount airline, which bought rival budget carrier Go last year, carried 1.499 million passengers in January, based on combined figures with Go.

Easyjet was floated on the stock market in 2000

Easyjet announced its load factor, which measures the number of passengers carried as a proportion of the seats available - was 77.5% in January, up from 76% the year before.

Benefits

Ray Webster, Easyjet chief executive, said: " I am pleased to report that trading has been brisk in the first month of 2003 with forward bookings matching our expectations and our overall outlook is positive."

He added that Go had already begun to reap the benefits from the Easyjet pricing system because load factors had increased.

Easyjet further announced it has appointed Ed Winter, previously Director of Transformation, as chief operating officer on the Easyjet Group's operating board.

"Ed, who brings a wealth of experience to the job, will provide day-to-day leadership of the team and management of the business," Mr Webster said.

"I will focus on the longer-term strategic development of the airline - particularly, how we can continue to innovate and improve our business. There is no other change to directors' roles and structures," Mr Webster said.