Prague - Prague Airport recorded a net profit of 1.11 billion koruny (68.6 million dollars) in 2007, an increase of 14 per cent from 970 million koruny the previous year, the state-owned company said Thursday.

Operating revenues reached nearly 5.4 billion koruny, up 7.8 per cent from the 2006 volume of 5 billion koruny, it said.

The center-right Czech government plans to sell or lease for a long-term the airport early next year. Analysts have estimated its price at 100 billion koruny.

Earlier reports said that potential bidders include Czech and Slovak investment groups as well as foreign airport operators such as Abertis Infraestructuras, Hochtief Airports, Flughafen Wien or Aeroports de Paris.

The Czech capital's Ruzyne international airport is the the second largest in central Europe after Vienna.

It is currently served by over 50 carriers flying passengers to 124 destinations.

The company said Tuesday that it handled 2.5 million passengers in the first quarter of 2008, up by more than 7 per cent compared to the same period last year.

Low-costs carved out a 26-per-cent share in passenger traffic in the first quarter of 2008.

Budget airlines Easy Jet, SkyEurope and Travel Service ranked among Ruzyne's top five carriers alongside full-service Czech Airlines and Lufthansa in the first three months this year. (dpa)