SOUTHAMPTON Airport bosses claim plans for a dramatic expansion and a second terminal remain on track, despite British Airways axing its base here.

As previously reported in the Daily Echo, BA is closing its loss-making route to Glasgow from Southampton and closing its operations base.

The move is costing 84 jobs and leaves the airport heavily reliant on Flybe, by far its biggest carrier.

Staff told the Daily Echo of their "anger and bewilderment" over the move, which still leaves Manchester and Edinburgh routes serviced by planes based at those airports.

Despite losing BA Connect, the number two carrier, Southampton Airport chiefs say "at this stage" they are sticking by forecasts of passenger numbers rising by 400 per cent.

A masterplan for the airport unveiled last year envisages passenger numbers reaching six million a year by 2030, and the number of flights rising from 100 to 260 a day.

In order to cope with the rocketing passenger numbers, a multi-million-pound second terminal at the other side of the site is planned.

Airport managing director Chris Butler said: "Our options for future development plans as outlined in the masterplan are based on long-term passenger forecasts. At this stage we do not envisage any changes to these plans as a result of this announcement."

The increase in aircraft is causing concern among residents in places such as Winchester, who say that their lives are already blighted by noise pollution from planes, and fear that expansion plans would make things worse.