GERMANY is soon to be just £38 return and an hour and 20 minutes away after low fare carrier Air Berlin revealed plans to launch a new route from Southampton Airport.

A three flights per week service to Paderborn, in Germany, start in November but the airline is considering launching other routes from the city.

But airport noise protestors condemned the addition, warning its impact would be widespread.

"Expansion is never welcome here," said Mary Finch of Airport Pressure Group. "The runway is too close to residential areas. I think people are realising that even though they live miles away they are still within a minute or two's flying time and will be troubled by aircraft noise."

Air Berlin, which describes itself as "low cost but high quality", is Germany's second-largest airline and Europe's third-largest low-cost carrier.

Twelve hundred years old and situated in Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia region, Paderborn makes a picturesque destination.

"Southampton is an alternative to Stansted for us," said a spokesman for Air Berlin. "We have chosen Southampton as a destination because we expect there to be a lot of interest by the families of UK troops based in Paderborn. We also think that Southampton Airport has a lot of potential given its connection to London by a reliable train line.

"We might develop Southampton further with flights to other European destinations in the future."

David Cumming, managing director of Southampton Airport, said: "This is fantastic news. We are delighted that Southampton Airport has been chosen by one of Germany's leading airlines. Air Berlin's new route to Paderborn will be a great addition to our route network and our only German destination. We anticipate that this route will be particularly popular with military personnel and their families from around Hampshire and Wiltshire, as well as leisure travellers enjoying cultural breaks."