** Shares of Flight Centre Travel FLT.AX drop as much as 15% to A$15.07, their lowest since early-January 2023; last down 13.4%

** Travel retailer posts lower half-yearly statutory profit before tax of A$88.2 million ($56 million), compared to A$120.2 million a year ago

** Co's profit impacted by lower income from volume-based supplier payments

** 1.3 million shares change hands, vs the 30-day average of 782,855

** Stock down 8.3% YTD

($1 = 1.5746 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Nichiket Sunil in Bengaluru)

((Nichiket.Sunil@thomsonreuters.com;))