EasyJet Plc reported a 21% year-on-year increase in third-quarter headline pretax profit to £286 million as strong Easter traffic and robust summer demand lifted revenue 10.9% to £2.92 billion. The budget carrier carried 25.88 million passengers in the April-to-June period, slightly ahead of market expectations, and filled 92% of its seats. The upbeat results failed to impress investors. EasyJet’s shares dropped as much as 8% in London—their steepest decline in a year—after the airline disclosed that external headwinds had shaved about £25 million off earnings. A two-day French air-traffic-control walkout in early July forced the cancellation of 660 flights and cost roughly £15 million, while higher jet-fuel prices added another £10 million. Chief Executive Officer Kenton Jarvis called the French strikes “unacceptable” and urged authorities to improve staffing and technology at the country’s air-navigation service. He warned that no amount of internal contingency planning can offset the impact when French airspace is effectively closed. Despite the setbacks, EasyJet maintained a positive outlook for fiscal-year 2025. The carrier still expects available seat-kilometres to rise about 9% for the full year and kept capacity guidance at roughly 103 million seats, with growth moderating to 7% in the second half from 12% in the first. The group’s package-holiday arm continued to expand, generating pretax profit of £86 million in the quarter and remaining on course to exceed £235 million for the full year. EasyJet said forward bookings for the fourth quarter are 67% sold and reaffirmed its expectation of solid profit growth even as customers book closer to departure.