Chinese airlines reported a profit of 4.25 billion yuan in the third quarter of the year, an increase of 15 percent year on year, the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC)said Friday.

The airlines posted revenues of 46.58 billion yuan from their main business between July and September, up 20.6 percent over the same period of 2005.

Their costs surged 21.7 percent in the same period to 42.1 billion yuan.

Total revenue for the civil aviation industry in the third quarter stood at 65.4 billion yuan, up 22.2 percent year on year.

The civil aviation industry handled 44.93 million passengers and 916,000 tons of goods in the third quarter, up 14.7 percent and 12.2 percent respectively.

The industry reported no accidents in the period.