AIRLINE bosses have given assurances there will be no changes to flights from Southampton airport after announcing plans to open a base 27 miles away.

Flybe will continue to operate the same number of flights in and out of Southampton after it announced plans to open a new base at Bournemouth.

Routes to Glasgow and other destinations will continue from Southampton after the airline was able to secure a deal with the Manchester Airport group, who own Bournemouth.

It comes months after the low-cost airline pulled the plug on a new route to the German port city of Hamburg over the winter, hours before the first flights were to take off.

Andrew McConnell, communications director for the low-cost airline said there would be “no impact at all” on the Eastleigh airport.

He said: “We see that operations in Bournemouth will complement our offering to passengers in the area both at Southampton and Bournemouth.

“We see there’s demand and that’s why we’re able to provide these services. There’s a good operation at Southampton, we have a very good relationship with the airport. It’s very good news to be able to operate more services to people in the south.”

Mr McConnell added that there are no planned announcements for new routes from Southampton.

Daily Echo: Southampton International Airport

Southampton Airport

Planes will begin flying on the new routes from Bournemouth airport in March next year. The full route list is Amsterdam, Manchester, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Jersey, Dublin, Deauville (Normandy) Toulon, Biarritz and Glasgow.

Flybe’s initial announcement about a new base at Bournemouth led to fears from Hampshire’s community and business leaders that services from Southampton would be affected.

The leader of Hampshire County Council Roy Perry said Southampton airport is an “important asset” to the economy of Hampshire.

Daily Echo: Cllr Roy Perry

County Council leader Roy Perry

He said: “Anything that damages Southampton airport would be of concern. The advantages that Southampton has with its proximity to the motorway and London make it important. It’s a solidly based airport.

“The national advantages, the geographic location of Southampton significantly outweighs those of Bournemouth.”

Eastleigh MP Mike Thornton also echoed those thoughts adding that Southampton airport is “absolutely vital” to the region’s economy.

He said: “It would concern me if I thought it was going to affect Southampton airport but I’m totally confident the airport will grow and grow.”