The planes are being painted in the airline's colours in Eindhoven

Air Southwest will take over the Plymouth-Newquay-Gatwick service from British Airways on 26 October.

But managing director Malcolm Naylor said the company was holding discussions with Newquay Airport about the possibility of offering flights to other parts of the country, as well as abroad.

New services between Plymouth, Bristol and Manchester are already planned to start next March.

The airline is currently awaiting delivery of two planes in preparation for its launch at the end of the month.

Leased aircraft

It has leased two Dash 8-300 aircraft from GE Capital Aviation Services - the largest aircraft leasing company in the world.

The 50-seater planes are currently being painted with the airline's new colours at Eindhoven in Holland by Aviation Cosmetics before being delivered to Plymouth next Thursday.

Mr Naylor said: "We've just been e-mailed photographs of one of the Dash-8s in Air Southwest livery and it looks absolutely fantastic.

"After months of hard work to set up Air Southwest it suddenly becomes very real when you see the aircraft painted in our colours.

"I can't wait to see them fly into Plymouth next week."

Air Southwest, which is headquartered at Plymouth City Airport, will initially operate four return flights, seven days a week, from Newquay and Plymouth to London Gatwick.