BMI's new routes will open at the end of March

Airline BMI Regional is to start daily flights between Aberdeen and Kristiansand, Norway, and between Edinburgh and Zurich in Switzerland.

Both are seen as important links for business and tourism. Services will start operating on 26 March.

Transport Minister Tavish Scott said it was "great news" for Scotland.

Mr Scott said: "This announcement takes us another step forward in our aim of increasing the number of direct air services between Scotland and the rest of the world."

'Exciting variety'

The executive said the Route Development Fund (RDF) has already secured 36 direct routes from Scottish airports to the rest of the UK, Europe, the US, Canada and Dubai.

Kevin Brown, customer services director at Aberdeen Airport, said: "Kristiansand is an important oil and shipping base and this new route will no doubt serve our respective business communities well.

"However, as both cities offer an exciting variety of visitor attractions, this route also offers tremendous opportunities for inbound and outbound tourism."

Scotland's airports enjoyed a surge in international traffic last year, with Aberdeen being BAA's fastest-growing facility north of the border, it was announced on Tuesday

The numbers on international flights grew to nearly eight million, with a total of 20.6 million passengers using Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.