EasyJet pretax profit jumps 22%

 EasyJet's annual profits climbed on the back of rising passenger numbers and sales, the no-frills British airline said Tuesday.
Net profits, or earnings after taxation, rallied 13 percent to £450 million ($704 million, 565 million euros) in the group's financial year to the end of September, compared with 2012/13, EasyJet said in a results statement.
Pre-tax profits surged 22 percent to £581 million, which was slightly ahead of the group's own forecast.
Passenger numbers jumped seven percent to 64.8 million, as the airline also picked up business from rival Air France -- which had to cancel flights in September because of a record two-week-long pilots' strike.
EasyJet's total revenues meanwhile swelled by 6.3 percent to £4.527 billion.
"Our performance demonstrates our continued focus on cost and progress against every strategic revenue priority," said chief executive Carolyn McCall.