Strong March passenger numbers and new routes to Nice, Frankfurt and Verona from Southampton Airport

Passenger numbers have increased by 5.5% at Southampton Airport, with over 146,400 passengers travelling during the month of March 2007. The summer schedule has kicked off with the announcement of 3 brand new routes to Nice and Frankfurt with Flybe, and to Verona with Inghams.

A new route from Southampton to Nice in France began on 25th March. The destination will be served 4 times a week by Flybe, and there are now 12 French destinations available from Southampton Airport.

Flights to Frankfurt will begin on 16th April with Flybe. The route will mean that travellers can now access 3 key German destinations, including Dusseldorf and Hanover, with 25 direct flights from Southampton each week. Flybe flights can be booked online by visiting www.flybe.com or calling 0871 522 6100.

Mike Rutter, Chief Commercial Officer at Flybe, comments: “As Europe’s largest regional airline committed to boosting local economies, Flybe is delighted to see continued growth in regional air travel as travellers avoid the lengthy journey times into London airports, opting for more convenient, local departure points. Flybe has significantly increased its presence at Southampton over the past year, introducing exciting new domestic and European routes, so it’s great to see passenger numbers increasing as the public take advantage of the wealth of travel options available."

Inghams have also announced a weekly flight to Verona in Italy from 14th May this year. Lynsey Devon, Public Relations Manager from Inghams, said: "We are thrilled to introduce the first direct flight from Southampton to the Italian city of Verona from May this year. Inghams now offers a choice of 11 resorts around Lake Garda, which is a popular summer destination and the largest of northern Italy's great lakes.” Inghams holidays can be booked online by visiting www.inghams.co.uk or by calling 020 8780 4433.

Travellers can now fly from Southampton to 47 destinations around the UK, Europe and Channel Islands. Further information on all of the flights on offer from Southampton can be found online at www.southamptonairport.com or by contacting the dedicated Timetable Hotline on 023 8062 7098 to receive a free copy of the programme for Summer 2007.