SUMMER’S only just here but there is good news for Hampshire snow-lovers planning to slope off on a skiing holiday this winter.

A new winter service out of Southampton Airport will link the south’s skiers with the Swiss Alps.

This week brand new airline Powdair, launched ticket sales through its website for flights from Southampton to Sion, in the heart of Switzerland’s winter sports region, the Valais.

Flights commence from December 15, and Powdair say the new service will cut transfer times significantly to some of the region’s most popular ski resorts including Zermatt, Verbier, Saas Fee, Crans Montana and Nendaz.

Dave Lees, managing director of Southampton Airport, said: “One of our top priorities at Southampton is to be able to offer our passengers choice.

“This route will give local residents the chance to visit top ski resorts.”

Set up by a group of investors and skiers, Powdair is a new company registered in Dublin and operating two aircraft from its base in Sion.

Currently only Helvetic Airways and Swiss International Airlines serve Sion.

Zoë Ombler, head of commercial for Powdair said: “It’s not every day that we get to launch an airline and especially one that opens up a completely new route into an airport that is so close to some of the world’s best ski resorts.

“The response we have already seen on social media shows the kind of interest people have in the area and regular, scheduled flights into Sion are long overdue. Every winter sports enthusiast knows about the sheer quality of ski resorts in the Valais region and we are proud to be able to help our customers reach those resorts faster than any other available option”.

The firm claim that their fare structure will not be subject to fluctuation in pricing meaning that families won’t be charged over the odds during the busier school holiday periods.

Fares are expected to be around £140.

Flights from Southampton to Sion will take around 90 minutes.

Scroll through the gallery above to see Southampton Airport's full list of destinations