Profits surge for European budget airline Ryanair LONDON (AP) =97 Budget airline Ryanair said Monday that its profit and=20 passenger numbers soared in the latest six-month period. The Irish airline= =20 earned 150.9 million euros ($150.1 million) in the six months ended Sept.=20 30, up from 88.0 million pounds a year earlier. Operating revenues rose 35%= =20 to 464.6 million euros ($462.2 million) from 344.2 million euros a year=20 earlier. Operating profit was up 66% to 167.5 million euros ($166.6=20 million). The airline said it carried 7.84 million passengers in the=20 period, up 37% from the same period last year. "Traffic and revenue growth= =20 has been remarkably strong across all markets," said Ryanair chief=20 executive Michael O'Leary. He said half-year profits were exceptional and=20 "will not in my opinion be repeated." But he forecast full-year profits of about 230 million euros ($229=20 million), up from 150.4 million euros last year. Founded in Ireland in=20 1985, Ryanair now operates 88 routes in 13 European countries. While most=20 airlines struggled to keep passengers following the Sept. 11 terrorist=20 attacks in the United States, Ryanair has kept expanding thanks to low=20 fares and headline-grabbing promotions that infuriated its more expensive=20 European rivals. Last month the carrier announced plans to open a new=20 European hub at a Milan airport to compete with Italy's state-owned=20 Alitalia. Ryanair also has continental hubs at Charleroi in Belgium and=20 Hahn outside Frankfurt in Germany. "We are well on course to double our=20 annual passenger levels from 15 million this year to 30 million in five=20 years," O'Leary said Monday. Competitors criticize Ryanair for excluding taxes and other charges from=20 its advertised fares, providing no assigned seats for passengers, refusing= =20 to transfer luggage between flights, and often rejecting claims for damaged= =20 luggage. It offers no free food or drink on flights. It sells the vast bulk= =20 of its seats over the Internet and pays no commission to travel agents.=20 Ryanair shares rose 9.7% in London trading to 460 pence ($7.17). The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site: Roj (Roger James) *************************************************** escape email mailto:ejames@escape.ca Trinbago site: http://www.tntisland.com CBC Website http://www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ The Trinbago Site of the Week: (I95.5FM) http://www.i955fm.com (Radio Station I95.5FM) courtesy of Roj Trinbago Website & TnT Web Directory Roj's Trinbago Website: http://www.tntisland.com TnT Web Directory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************