The south's travellers have been snapping up seats on flights to be operated by the region's new low-cost, no-frills airline, buzz.

In the first week more than four thousand seats have been sold on routes from Bournemouth Airport to Amsterdam, Belfast, Bergerac, Glasgow-Prestwick, Malaga, Murcia and Paris.

As buzz announced its initial sales figures British Airways was giving details of further fare cuts on six domestic and European routes from Southampton International Airport.

The Spanish destinations of Malaga and Murcia, together with Bergerac in France are currently the most popular buzz routes.

Chief commercial officer for the Dutch-owned buzz airline, Tony Camacho, said: "The reaction and support we have had from people living in and around the airport has been fantastic.

"People on the south coast are obviously making the most of our competitive fares which give them easy access to Scotland, Northern Ireland and a network of European destinations.

"This is just the start of our plans for Bournemouth. In the next year we will continue to expand and develop our destination portfolio which will position Bournemouth as one of the UK's leading low-cost bases.''

The airline will begin operating in and out of Bournemouth from March of next year.

The new British Airways fares, with no Saturday night stay restrictions, will see up to £40 sliced off existing return fares from Southampton to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast and Manchester, £20 off fares to Dublin and £10 off to Jersey on flights operated by wholly-owned subsidiary British Airways CitiExpress.

British Airways say the new Southampton fares start at £59 return, including all taxes and charges, to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast and Manchester and £79 return to Dublin and Jersey.

British Airways say the availability of the lowest fares will be greater the earlier the booking is made by logging on to ba.com from yesterday.

Tickets purchased through British Airways Telesales, British Airways Travel Shops and airport ticket desks will cost £10 more.