STAFF at Southampton Airport are bracing for a bumper summer as thousands of passengers jet off to warmer climes.

Flybe has launched its new summer schedule with nearly 300 flights a week transporting holiday makers to exotic destinations.

The airline is operating 27 routes - including new services to Bastia and Milan - and continuing its popular summer routes.

The announcement follows last year's record-breaking summer when 200,000 passengers passed through the airport's doors in August - a three per cent increase on the same time last year and the highest monthly footfall in seven years.

This summer Flybe is boasting 299 flights a week with one way fares from £24.99 including taxes and charges.

New twice weekly flights on Thursdays and Sundays to Bastia operate during peak summer from May until September.

Twice weekly flights to Milan operate during those times on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Bastia, located on the northern tip of the French island of Corsica, is a thriving ferry and cruise ship port nestled between mountains and sea.

Milan is one of Europe's most ancient cities with more than 26 centuries of history and renowned as Italy's thriving cosmopolitan business capital offering shopping, nightlife, opera, fashion and football.

Meanwhile popular sun routes to Palma, Mallorca, Faro, Malaga and Alicante will run through to October 24.

Flights to regional France are boosted with the return of peak summer travel to destinations including Avignon, Bordeaux, Brest and Limoges.

Passengers can also enjoy seamless long haul travel under the airports with seven codeshare partners via Dublin and Manchester airports.

Onward connections to Asia, Canada and the US available are available with the airline's newest codeshare partners Cathay Pacific, Finnair and Aer Lingus when flights are booked either directly from those airlines or through a local travel agent.