Cheaper flights help BA post strong profits

British Airways has posted strong profits for the first three months of this year, thanks to an increase in business passenger travel and customers drawn by cheaper flights and better services.

Pre-tax profits increased by some 57 per cent to £195 million, up from £124 million in the first quarter of 2004.

BA chief executive Willie Walsh noted that enhanced services and new routes had helped to bolster takings at the UK's biggest airline.

"Our customers continue to see the benefit of investments in products and services with the introduction of our upgraded in-flight entertainment system," he said. "Our new Club World bed will be launched soon.

"We have announced new services to Calgary and an eighth daily service from London Heathrow to New York JFK."

He also said the airline is looking to increase flights from London to Brazil's largest city, Sao Paulo, in December and noted that the company's newly-introduced low fares on short-haul flights had been "a big success".

BA was recently named Airline of the Year at the Skytrax World Airline Awards, ahead of rival legacy carriers Qantas and Cathay Pacific.

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