Cheaper fuel and rising passenger numbers lead to Easyjet profits soaring.

The company reported profits of £154m since last September, tripling the £55m revenue made in 2009. Over the past year, passenger numbers increased by 8% bringing the total to 49 million, and as fuel costs dropped by 9%, the company saw a serious overhaul in takings.

Chief Executive, Carolyn McCall said: “We see clear opportunities for Easyjet to continue to take market share as charter traffic continues to decline, as weaker short-haul carriers retrench or fail and as new infrastructure capacity comes on stream.”

As well as these benefits, Easyjet is profiting from more and more European passengers opting for the British preference of flying via budget airlines.

McCall added the company would see added competition in the next year as budget airlines strive to win passengers in the new market.

The company also revealed its intentions to pay a dividend to shareholders in 2012.