• To buy up to 257 new aircraft
• Sees FY profit at 440-460 mln stg
• Targets 1 bln stg profit in medium term
• Shares fall 3%

LONDON, Oct 12 (Reuters) – British airline easyJet said it would buy up to 257 Airbus jets as it plots its growth beyond 2028 while restoring its dividend and aiming to more than double profits.

Signalling its recovery from the pandemic was now in full flow, easyJet said the time was right to lay out a long-term growth plan based on bigger and more fuel-efficient planes.

EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren said the proposed deal with Airbus, subject to shareholder approval, would add 157 aircraft plus the option for 100 more A321neo jets. The airline currently operates about 330 aircraft and will be retiring some older planes.