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| BA reports strong rise in profits | BA reports strong rise in profits |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| British Airways has reported a big rise in its six month profits, as it continues its cost-cutting programme. | |
| The airline reported pre-tax profits of £593m for the six months to the end of September, up 26% on the same period of last year. | The airline reported pre-tax profits of £593m for the six months to the end of September, up 26% on the same period of last year. |
| Its costs were down 4% even though it predicts that its fuel bill will top £2bn this year for the first time. | Its costs were down 4% even though it predicts that its fuel bill will top £2bn this year for the first time. |
| BA also predicts that the restrictions on hand baggage will be removed soon, which will relieve the "hassle factor". | BA also predicts that the restrictions on hand baggage will be removed soon, which will relieve the "hassle factor". |
| The airline gave an update on the development of its new home in Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport. | |
| The terminal is due to open on 27 March 2008 and the first trials involving volunteers will begin this weekend. | |
| BA's profitability rose slightly due to more passengers paying premium rates, but that was largely offset by currency effects, especially the weakness of the US dollar. | |
| Despite the rising price of oil, BA has lowered its prediction for fuel costs by £20m, but that still means they will be £100m higher than in the previous year. | |
| That should be offset by a predicted fall in non-fuel costs of £100m in the full year. |