GB Airways, sister company of the Southampton-based tour operator Cadogan Travel, has marked a major aviation milestone.

The British Airways franchise airline has carried more than one million passengers for the first time in a summer season.

Larger aircraft, with greater capacity, and the launch of four new routes have helped the operator to transport a total of nearly 1.1 million people between April and October of this year.

GB Airways' managing director John Patterson said: "Passengers on our Spanish network grew by more than 40 per cent compared to last year and accounted for half of our passengers.

"To reach this milestone in one season is a testament to our continued expansion into Europe and North Africa and our bid to constantly strive to improve the service we offer.''

Currently GB Airways, which became a British Airways franchise carrier in 1995, operates from London Gatwick and Heathrow to 21 destinations in Spain, Portugal, Morocco, France, Gibraltar, Malta and Tunisia.

A fleet replacement programme is under way, switching Boeing 737 aircraft to Airbus A320 and A321 jets.