Budget airline carrier bmibaby has unveiled details of the European destinations it intends to fly to from its new base at Cardiff International Airport.

The no-frills service announced it will operate a total of 112 flights a week on its nine new routes.

Bmibaby destinations

Alicante, Spain Faro, Portugal Geneva, Switzerland Jersey Malaga, Spain Milan, Italy Belfast Edinburgh Glasgow

The services, on Boeing 737s, will start on 27 October and domestic fares will start from �18 one way, with international fares starting from �25.

The budget carrier hopes to fly an estimated 1m passengers from south Wales.

Bmibaby Managing Director Tony Davis said he was delighted to announce the "fantastic fares we are offering from Cardiff this winter".

"We have every confidence that our Cardiff operation will replicate the exceptional performance of bmibaby at East Midlands Airport."

"Bmibaby is committed to giving Wales its very own low cost airline," said Mr Davis.

The destinations will be Alicante in Spain, Faro in Portugal, Geneva in Switzerland, Jersey, Malaga in Spain, Milan in Italy, Belfast, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Cardiff airport handles 1.5m passengers a year

The airline already handles 2,000 flights each week to 10 destinations from its East Midlands base, and carried 6.5m passengers last year.

Bmibaby confirmed earlier this month that its Cardiff operation will create more than 100 jobs.

The announcement is a major boost for the holiday industry, and the airport itself will be lifted further next year with the building of a long-awaited rail link from Cardiff city centre.

The budget airline is hoping to become the airport's biggest customer, and has announced a recruitment drive for 30 cabin crew to operate the flights from Cardiff.

Profits rise

Bmibaby is the fastest-growing no-frills airline, challenging carriers such as Easyjet, Ryanair and Go in the booming low-cost market.

This budget market has been making profits when the established airlines such as British Airways have been losing money.

Bmibaby currently operates from East Midlands Airport

The sector has also survived the shake-up of the airline industry in the wake of the 11 September terrorist attacks.

Last month, TBI, the group that operates Cardiff International Airport - as well as airports at Luton and Belfast - reported a 26% rise in profits.

The increased earnings were attributed to the boost given to business by cheap flights.

But scheduled services from Cardiff have been relatively few and expensive.

British Airways recently cut its routes out of the airport, with the loss of over 40 posts.