EXCEPTIONAL summer season trading boosted revenues at leisure business owner Dart Group to more than £1 billion for the first time in the six months to the end of September.

The company announced in September its intention to spend £1.7 billion on 27 new Boeing 737-800NG aircraft between now and April 2018 to meet anticipated growth in the leisure division.

The owner of Yeadon-based leisure airline Jet2.com, which has an expanding training centre in Bradford, and package holiday operator Jet2holidays, saw sales rise by 14 per cent to £1.02 billion against £902.2million a year earlier.

Pre-tax profit Profit soared by 66 per cent to £146.8 million against £88.7 million a year ago . As a result Dart is increasing its interim dividend 20 per cent to 90p a share, compared with 75p in 2014.

Revenue in the leisure travel business grew by 15 per cent to £951.7million, against £824.1million last year with the number of package holiday customers 22 per cent higher at 940,000 from 770,000 .

Sun seekers using Jet2holidays accounted for 42 per cent of airline passengers on Jet2.com, compared with 33m per cent a year ago. Flight only passenger numbers dipped from just over three million to 2.65 million.

Dart said that through careful seat capacity management and buoyant customer demand its travel business achieved a record average load factor of 94.1 per cent against 91.8 per cent, alongside a significant increase in Jet2.com's average net ticket yield of 16 per cent, which also resulted from increased flying to Eastern Mediterranean sun destinations.

With winter 2015/16 leisure travel bookings performing in line with expectations and the important post-Christmas booking period still to come, Dart is optimistic that current market expectations for the full year will be achieved.

Revenues from its distribution and logistics operation, Fowler and Welch dropped to £72.3 million from £78.1million a year ago but boosted operating profit by £1.9 million to £3.5 million.

Philip Meeson. Dart group chief executive, said: "The increase in group operating profit reflects consistently strong summer trading in our leisure travel business coupled with our distribution and logistics business performing ahead of last year.

"With winter 2015/16 leisure travel bookings continuing to perform in line with expectations and notwithstanding the important post-Christmas booking period that is still to come, the Board is optimistic that current market expectations for the full year will be achieved.

"However, increased losses are to be expected in the second half of the year as our expanding leisure travel business invests in additional aircraft, advertising and people in readiness for the summer 2016 season."