Ryanair, Europe’s leading low-cost airline, increased its profits sharply in its first six months and raised its forecast for full-year profits.

The Irish carrier said that it would launch a trial of its inflight mobile phone service on 25 aircraft by the end of March allowing passengers to receive and make phone calls and text messages by their mobiles or blackberries. The airline is aiming to be the first carrier in Europe to launch a mobile phone service across its entire fleet.