Southampton Airport is to become one of the country's main international gateways in the next millennium.

More routes, improved services and new aircraft are all poised to catapult the airport's growing reputation even higher and bring the South's business and commercial community closer to the rest of the UK, the heart of Europe and wider overseas markets.

"Southampton International is now recognised as being fundemental to the economic growth of central southern England,'' airport managing director, Colin Hobbs told a major aviation conference and exhibition in Paris.

"We are pleased that important international companies such as IBM, Matra Marconi, Philips and Esso are among our regular customers.

"Southampton Airport is looking forward to the millennium with prospects of new European routes, increased frequencies from exisiting carriers and more quiet, new generation aircraft.''

In focusing its marketing strategy specifically on the business sector in and around its catchment area, Southampton International is sucessfully winning more passengers from the major London airports.

"Businesses in the area can save up to four hours travelling time by flying from Southampton compared with London Heathrow,'' Mr Hobbs told the European Regional Airlines Assembly.

"Southampton-originating passengers travelling by connecting flights to hub airports now have more than 200 long haul and European destinations easily within reach.''

As well as business flights Southampton International is also gradually growing its holiday charter sector with Britain's biggest tour operator, Thomson.

Southampton was BAA's fastest growing airport in 1998 handling a record 753,698 passengers in its financial year ending March 31 this year, representing a 19.4 per cent increase.

Only a few weeks ago Southampton International collected the Gold Award for Best Regional Airport in the Routes Airport Marketing Awards held in Rome.

In line with its plan to add more of the super-quiet Embraer 145 regional jets to its fleet, British Regional Airlines, British Airways' largest franchise partner, which has just clinched the rights to operate from the city to Jersey, has pledged to add more routes from Southampton.

Presently, nine airlines link the city with 19 destinations including Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Man-chester, Belfast and four holiday destinations.

Jersey European have debuted their new Dash 8 Q-300 turboprop aircraft on the Southampton to Guernsey service from last week.

Brymon Airways, another British Airways franchisee is doubling capacity on its Newcastle and Aberdeen services to twice daily this winter in response to demand, offering business and leisure travellers a day return facility.

"While the main emphasis has been on business traffic, Southampton International's close co-operation with Thomson has led to a far wider range of holiday destinations of offer,'' said Mr Hobbs.

"Year-round services to Tenerife, using 737-800 aircraft, resulted from a very successful service start last year.

"From Spring 2000, the larger Boeing 757, operated by Britannia Airways, will replace Air Europa's flights and Thomson say that Southampton was their fastest selling airport in 1998.''

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