British airline EasyJet revealed on Thursday that first-half net losses deepened as the pandemic ravaged demand, but expressed optimism over the reopening of travel in Europe.

The group faced a loss after taxation of £549 million (€637m) in the six months to the end of March compared with a loss of £324 million a year earlier.

Passenger numbers tumbled by almost 90 per cent to 4.1 million, EasyJet said in a results statement published after the UK partially lifted international air travel on Monday.

“EasyJet is encouraged by the reopening of travel across much of Europe and will maximise opportunities for European flying,” the carrier said. “EasyJet is the largest operator from the UK to green list countries and is looking forward to taking customers on a long-awaited holiday this summer.”

EasyJet is the largest operator from the UK to green list countries and is looking forward to taking customers on a long-awaited holiday this summer

The airline now expects to fly about 15 per cent of its 2019 capacity levels in the third quarter, or three months to the end of June, and this will start to increase thereafter.

The firm also logged a pre-tax loss of £701 million, widening from £193 million last time around, but this was at the lower end of guidance.