The Luton-based low-cost carrier has seen its shares tumble during 2004 after profit warnings and a rise in aviation fuel costs.

Load factor - the number of passengers as a proportion of the seats available - was 86%, the same as last year.

Ray Webster, Easyjet chief executive, said: "We continue to capitalise on our market and financial strengths."

"Last month we began new services to Cologne, announced that we would base a further three new aircraft at Berlin (bringing the total to nine) and added five new routes from London Gatwick," he added.

Rivals

Earlier this week Stelios Haji-Ioannou, Easyjet's founder, was linked with a possible move to take it private.

In June shares in Easyjet plunged by 15% after the carrier said high fuel prices could cut its profits this year by about �4m ($7m).

Easyjet is also facing competition from low-cost rivals and from traditional carriers who are cutting their fares.

The company's rolling 12-month revenue to end-June was �1.03bn, up 21%, and its rolling 12-month passenger total and load factor was 22.9 million and 84%.