A low-cost airline has pledged to turn a regional airport into a key air travel hub with the launch of five new routes.

About 150 jobs will be created by the new services launched by FlyBE British European at Southampton International Airport.

The routes, which will commence in March, will cover domestic and continental destinations.

A spokesman said ticket prices for daily services to Milan Bergamo, Geneva, Dublin, Belfast City and Jersey will start from £29.

Flights to Barcelona and Nice are due to be launched next winter.

FlyBE managing director Jim French said: "Our aim is to duplicate the strong presence we have at Birmingham at Southampton airport.

"With 10 million people living within 90 minutes of the airport, Southampton airport is an important gateway to central southern England, conveniently located between the M27 and M3 motorways and with a dedicated rail station adjacent to the passenger terminal."

Mr French said that FlyBE's Southampton services would initially support four aircraft with the intention to expand to a ten-strong fleet for further services to Brussels, Copenhagen, Lyons, Toulouse, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The new routes will operate with a mixture of BAE 146 and Bombardier Q400 aircraft.

He said: "These aircraft are among the most environmentally-sensitive aircraft flying today, offering exceptionally low fuel consumption and low noise emissions, which are clearly going to be a major factor in airport operations in the future."

FlyBE was formerly Jersey European and British European airlines and rebranded in July to compete with the new generation of budget airlines.

Since its launch in the summer, the airline has seen its internet bookings increase from six per cent in January to more than 40 per cent by November.