Ryanair reports savings from Net

UK - Europe's largest budget airline has attributed its 45 percent rise in pre-tax profits to a rise in passenger volume as well as a cut in costs by moving sales and distribution to the Internet.

"The most dramatic change in our cost base this year has been the rapid growth of Ryanair.com," said Ryanair's chief Michael O'Leary.

Travel agent sales for the airline have fallen from 60 percent to 10 percent since the introduction of its Internet offering in January.