Aena Posts 80 Percent H1 Profit Jump

Spanish airports operator Aena said net profit in the first half of the year rose 80 percent to EUR€276 million (USD$305 million), boosted by higher air traffic and a series of one-off tax deductions.

The integration of Britain's Luton Airport, north of central London, also helped this year's earnings, the company said.

Aena's core profit, or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation, was EUR€826 million in the six months to June, up 11.9 percent from a year earlier.

The company said its board had opted to dispute a proposal by Spain's competition regulator that it cut airport tariffs in 2016.