British Airways yesterday unveiled a pre-tax profits of 430 million pound sterling for the six months to September 30. 1997 — and announced that it is raising the interim dividend payable to shareholders to 1Q.G

Group profit after tax and minority interests w&s 317 million pound sterling equivalent to earning of 31.0 pence a share, after taking into account net profits of 157 million pound starlings from disposals, in-cluding the group's investment In US Airways and the part-sale of the investment in Galileo International.

Increased costs up 6.1 per cent at 4.119 million pound sterling reflected additional expenditure on new aircraft and Improved customer services. Turnover rose 1.5 per cent to 4,460 million pound sterling.

The airline is committed to six billion pound sterling investment programme during the next three years.