EASYJET passenger numbers rose 25 per cent in September, boosted by the introduction of 32 new German routes since the start of the year.

The carrier has introduced 20 routes from Berlin, nine from Dortmund and three from Cologne.

From next month the company plans to fly to cities including Krakow and Warsaw in Poland, Riga in Latvia, and Tallinn in Estonia.

At the same time, the company has axed routes to Zurich and reduced capacity to Copenhagen and Amsterdam in an attempt to cut costs.

EasyJet said that it carried 2.4 million passengers last month, up from 1.9 million a year previously. Its load factor — the percentage of seats filled — climbed 1 per cent to 86.9 per cent. A spokesman for the company said the trading environment remained extremely competitive. About 55 low-cost airlines operate in Europe.

Shares in easyJet hit their lowest point after it said last month that fares would remain under pressure. The airline, which does not charge a surcharge for fuel costs, is expected to face a difficult winter as oil costs rise.

Ray Webster, chief executive, described September as a solid month and reiterated guidance from last month that pre-tax profits would exceed £60 million — 16 per cent higher than last year. Shares were unchanged at 126¼p yesterday.

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