EasyJet, the low-cost airline, continues to expand faster than it can fill seats but the carrier said yesterday that its profit forecast was unaltered.

The company reported today that it carried 9.1 million passengers in the three months to the end of December, up 12.4 per cent on the same period a year before.

However, easyJet is in the middle of a rapid expansion after spending $4 billion (£2 billion) on 104 new Airbus aircraft and available seat kilometres, the industry measure of total capacity, grew faster than passenger numbers, up 17.7 per cent.

This resulted in emptier aircraft and the carrier’s load factor fell a percentage point to 80.8 per cent.

The load factor in January, which easyJet also released today, was even worse – down 2.9 percentage points on the same period last year.

However, easyJet has rejected the gloomy predictions for the sector made by its rival Ryanair this week.

The Irish carrier said that its profits could be cut by 50 per cent because of combination of rising costs and lower demand due to a weaker macro economic environment.

EasyJet admitted today that cost pressures, particularly the high oil price, were a threat but said that forward bookings were in line with expectations and load factors would improve in February and March.

Although the carrier’s planes were not as full as in previous quarters, the reduced load factor was offset by higher total revenue per passenger, up 1.6 per cent to £45.76. This was achieved by the introduction of a new checked-bag charge, which increased from £2 per item in October to £3.99.

The higher per passenger revenues have enabled easyJet to maintain its pre-tax profit growth guidance for the year of 20 per cent, up from £191 million last year.

Rising fuel and staff costs will erode margins by 2 to 3 per cent. EasyJet also gave warning that it would have to absorb exceptional costs of £12 million following the £103 million acquisition of GB Airways last October. About £7 million of this will be absorbed in the first half of the year.

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