Consumers’ continuing voracious appetite for overseas holidays has been thrown into stark relief again in recent days.

easyJet last Wednesday revealed it had enjoyed a record summer. And pre-tax profits for the second half of its financial year to September 30, a period which obviously takes in the peak summer season, were a record £960 million. This was up £94m on the prior financial year. Second-half passenger growth was 7%.

The flow of good news from airlines and package holiday providers has continued in spite of the ongoing UK economic gloom.

easyJet’s announcement came hard on the heels of record results the previous week from airline and package holiday giant Jet2.

Chief executive Johan Lundgren will depart in early 2025, after seven years piloting easyJet, to be succeeded by chief financial officer Kenton Jarvis.

From both easyJet and macro perspectives, what was particularly notable in the airline’s announcement was the strength of its package holidays business.

The easyJet holidays business posted a 56% hike in pre-tax profits to £190m for the year to September 30.

John Moore, senior investment manager at stockbroker RBC Brewin Dolphin, observed: “Demand for holidays continues to prove resilient, despite fears over the pent-up demand from the pandemic dissipating and the cost of living crisis taking its toll on household spending.”

And Mr Jarvis declared: “Travel remains a firm priority with........

© Herald Scotland