An increase in the number of business flyers using Easyjet helped the company shrink half-year losses in the six months to April.

Easyjet reported a pre-tax loss of £53 million in the period to March 31, a smaller loss than £61 million recorded during the same period last year.

The company's chief executive, Carolyn McCall, said business people were being attracted by the introduction of allocated seats.

That helped total revenues grow 6.3 per cent, making it one of the carriers most popular initiatives ever.

Ms McCall told BBC's Radio 4 the airline had convinced business travellers to move away from "legacy carriers" including Air France, Lufthansa and British Airways.

"I think allocated seating has been the single most popular thing we've ever done with our passengers and it's definitely taken a barrier away from people who would never have tried us before, particularly business travellers," she said.