The range of budget flights available to UK travellers increased today, as Flybe British European launched five new routes from Southampton international airport.

The routes, which will start operating in March 2003, will cover domestic and continental destinations. Flybe said ticket prices for daily services to Milan, Geneva, Dublin, Belfast and Jersey would start from £29.

Flights to Barcelona and Nice are due to be launched next winter.

Managing director of Flybe, Jim French, said: "Our aim is to duplicate the strong presence we have at Birmingham at Southampton airport.

"With 10 million people living within 90 minutes of the airport, Southampton airport is an important gateway to central southern England, conveniently located between the M27 and M3 motorways and with a dedicated rail station adjacent to the passenger terminal."

Mr French said that Flybe's Southampton services would initially support four aircraft with the intention to expand to a ten-strong fleet for further services to Brussels, Copenhagen, Lyons, Toulouse, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Since its launch in the summer, the airline has seen online bookings increase from 6% in January to more than 40% by November. It carries more than three million passengers each year on its network, which covers 18 UK and 13 international destinations with 1,200 weekly flights.

· Figures published today by the data research company OAG indicated that the number of domestic low-cost flights within the UK has increased by 129% - the equivalent of an additional 775 flights a week - during the last 12 months. There has also been a 73% increase in the number of international budget flights over the past year.