A STATE-of-the-art tracking system will catch red-handed any pilots who "cut corners" when using Southampton International Airport.

The move comes after increasing complaints from residents claiming that aircraft were not sticking to routes designed to cut down on noise.

The Daily Echo reported last month Eastleigh Council had been dealing with complaints almost daily about noisy planes.

Airport bosses have revealed the new system will be up and running by next spring at the latest.

This was revealed by airport managing director David Cumming, who was speaking in the wake of growing concern that pilots have not been sticking to agreed noise preferential routes.

In a report to the local airport consultative committee, Eastleigh planning boss Cliff Bowden said the single largest number of complaints had been linked to the routeing of aircraft arriving and departing.

He said: "It is apparent that some aircraft are cutting the corner on both arrival and departure routes, giving rise to unnecessary noise, disturbance and concern to residents, particularly in the Bitterne Park area to the south and in Bishopstoke to the north.

However, Mr Cumming assured the committee that measures were already being taken to combat the problem. Pointing out that the current tracking system was antiquated, he said: "We are introducing a new tracking system which we hope to have up and running by spring of next year or before then."

Describing it as a major step forward, the equipment would be able to provide detailed data, including the flight number and even the road an aircraft had flown over.

Armed with this information the airport would be able to say to the pilot of any straying aircraft -"Why were you off track?"

He acknowledged there had been an increase in the number of complaints. But he assured the committee that measures were being taken to minimise the noise to the community.

Soaraway passenger figures have made the airport one of the busiest in the country and Mr Cumming added: "Over the past few months it has grown much faster than we anticipated."

The number of planes landing and taking off has risen from 2,638 in August 2002 to 3,273 in the same month of this year.

Mr Cumming told of how the success of the airport was giving a giant boost to the area's economy, and the opening of the hotel would help to generate even more business.

A spokesman for the airport said she was not aware of any incidents when pilots had not been justified in veering from noise preferential routes.

She said: "There may be very legitimate reasons why a pilot didn't stick to the preferential routes. They will follow guidance given by air traffic control."

Spokesman for Flybe Sara Randall Johnson said: "We're more than happy to do whatever we can to work with the airport to ensure we stick to these routes."

Mary Finch, chairman of the Bitterne Park Residents' Association, also welcomed the initiative as long as it works.

She said: "Anything that's going to help the residents is good because this year it's been quite horrific with the increase in aircraft going over us.

"Everything I do is to try to help people and their quality of life. The aircraft fly so low and the noise they make when they come straight down is quite horrific."

British Airways was unavailable for comment.