The company will also fly to Rome from Bristol

The company already flies to Spain - including Barcelona and Bilboa - from the west Country airport. The Madrid flights will begin in October.

Tony Hallwood, aviation director, said: "The introduction of these flights is a real coup and will be widely welcomed."

Around 110,000 people are expected to pass through Bristol airport every week through the summer period.

Managers say numbers are up a fifth compared with last year.

Easyjet flights to Rome and Geneva are also planned from Bristol in October.

Bristol is the UK's 11th largest airport.