Easyjet, the low-cost airline, is expected to say this week that the high price of fuel has cost it an additional £55m in the first half of the year.

The extra cost, which the airline has so far avoided passing on to its passengers in the form of higher fares or surcharges, is expected to lead to the company slumping to a loss of almost £50m when it reports its results for the first half of its year.


The results, the first for Andrew Harrison who took over as chief executive of the airline in December last year, are expected to show that first-half losses have more than doubled from this time last year despite an extensive cost-cutting programme.