RYANAIR saw a near-50% surge in the amount of money it generates from non-travel services sold on the internet in the year to the end of March.

Revenues from internet-related services – which included commissions from the sale of the likes of gift vouchers and online bingo – sold through its website increased to €83.6m in from €56.9m in the previous financial period, the airline said in a regulatory filing last week.

In-flight sales, such as food and drink, increased 4%, to €86.5m from €83.2m, the airline said.

Revenues from excess baggage charges, debit- and credit-card transactions, sales of rail and bus tickets, accommodation and travel insurance rose 9% to €463.6m from €425.8m in the 2009 fiscal year.

The only decline in non-flight revenue in the year was commissions the airline receives from car rental, which declined by 7% to €29.9m because of changes to its contract with Hertz.

The company doesn't give a breakdown of how much profit it earns from these sales, though analysts have said the profit margin is likely to be very high as there is little investment, apart from marketing, in these services. The pace of growth in revenue from so-called ancillary revenues has exceeded that of passenger numbers in recent years.

According to the filing with the US Securities & Exchange Commission, the cuts to the airline's flight schedule and ticket prices have hit its revenues in Ireland. Revenue in Ireland fell to €357m from €402m.

The airline has announced plans for further cuts to its flight schedule from Dublin Airport this winter.

Half of Ryanair's top 10 routes are out of Dublin Airport, according to the filing.

The filing also reveals that Ryanair planes now have to be just 73% full for the airline to break-even compared with 79% a year ago as it cut its fuel bill and other costs.

Ryanair said last week that profits after tax in the three months to the end of June, excluding the cost of the volcanic-ash crisis in April, rose by 1% to €138.5m.

The airline stuck with its forecast of profits for the full financial year of between €350m and €375m.

Its average fares may rise by as much of 10% this year.

Ryanair shares closed the week up 3% at €3.93.