British Airways has announced pre-tax profits for the final three months of 2003 have risen to £125 million sterling from £25 million a year earlier.
The third-quarter performance, which was at the top end of City forecasts, benefited from improved trading conditions after last year's figures were affected by the run-up to the Iraq war.
There has also been a major drive on costs, with the airline's Future Size and Shape strategy set to result in the loss of 13,000 jobs by the end of March.
