Flybe have already taken 120,000 bookings for the new routes

The routes, operated by Flybe, will take the number of passengers using the airport past 1m a year and create 200 new jobs.

Flybe have already taken 120,000 bookings for the new routes, to Milan, Geneva, Belfast, Dublin and Jersey.

In a separate move, Eastern Airlines is taking over many of British Airways domestic routes from Southampton.

Last month, Bournemouth Airport suffered a major blow after Ryanair bought rivals Buzz Airlines, abandoning plans for new routes.

Flybe has already announced plans to cover some of Buzz's proposed routes to Spain.