EasyJet converted options on 52 A319 aircraft into orders and took options over a further 75 A320s, bringing the value of planes it has on firm order to more than USD$4 billion.

The budget carrier, Europe's second-largest after Ryanair, said pretax profit for the year to end-September 2006 was GBP129 million pounds (USD$245.6 million), up from GBP83 million (USD$158 million) a year ago.

"Our profit growth was driven by a 34 percent increase in ancillary revenues per seat, significant improvements in passenger yields and a continuing reduction in our non-fuel unit costs," Chief Executive Andy Harrison said in a statement.

"Today's Airbus order underpins our future growth and we expect to increase capacity in 2007 by 15 percent."

EasyJet said on October 6 it expected pretax profit for the year ending September to be slightly ahead of earlier guidance for a 40-50 percent rise.

A strong summer and new routes helped offset a 33 percent rise in unit fuel costs for the year and the cancellation of 469 flights in August because of heightened security, imposed after British police said they foiled a plot to bomb airliners.