Flybe to axe these eight routes from Southampton Airport next year

Routes from France, Portugal, Italy and Germany will be affected by the change, which will take effect from next summer.

The airport has said the decision makes it for important to invest in their runway to offer more choice to passengers.

Nine routes are being axed by Flybe – these include Nantes, Biarritz, Bordeaux and Bastia in France, Faro in Portugal, Malaga, Alicante and Palma in Spain and Dusseldorf in Germany.

Airport managing director Neil Garwood said: ‘Flybe is reducing its services next year, which is regrettable. 

‘However, this reinforces the case for us to invest in our runway, so that we can ensure that we are resilient to any future changes in the aviation market and can offer even more choice to our passengers.

‘We are already having discussions with other airlines to backfill routes, and our plans for growth continue unaffected.

‘This is not about lack of demand at Southampton Airport, far from it, this is about airline profitability. 

‘Every passenger disappointed by this news should support our planning application in order to ensure that the airport can provide the choice and connectivity our region needs.’

Last year the airport unveiled proposals to extend the runway and expand the existing terminal building, with 500 new jobs being created.

Flybe is being rebranded as Virgin Connect next year after a £2.2 million takeover by the Connect Airways Consortium.

In February the airport announced it was adding a new service to Guernsey seven days a week to its existing popular service in Alderney.