Low-cost airline easyJet said today it believed the Paris terror attacks would have only a minimal impact on its business as “resilient” passengers would still want to fly.

Concerns over the impact of the attacks on travel and leisure saw shares in the sectors dip on Monday, but easyJet said it was sticking to its growth forecasts, with any disruption expected to be brief.

The statement came alongside annual results showing a pre-tax profits of £681million for the year to September 30, up £105m on last year and representing a fifth straight year of record profits. Passenger numbers rose by 4m to 68.6m

Carolyn McCall, easyJet’s chief executive, said the airline’s outlook for the longer term remained positive and she expected demand in its markets to be sustained.

“We will see passenger growth of 7% a year, sustaining margins through rigorous cost control and the benefit of fleet up-gauging, resulting in positive profit momentum,” she said.

“We remain totally focused on our network advantage, digital leadership and offering our customers great low fares and service. We continue to invest in profitable growth, ensuring our digital advantage and giving our customers good-value fares.”