Southampton 'a gateway for business'

Southampton Airport is becoming an important gateway for commercial travellers on trips to business hubs around Europe, BAA has claimed.

The airport currently offers flights to 45 destinations across the UK and Europe and 77 per cent of these are to international locations.

Recent additions to the Southampton network include flights to the German cities of Frankfurt, Hannover and Dusseldorf and the business capitals of Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris.

Chris Butler, managing director of Southampton Airport, said: "The growing range of routes available from Southampton Airport means that business passengers can get to and from this region really easily.

"The airport's popularity is continuing to grow, with last month being the busiest August on record. The airport welcomed 204,359 passengers, which was a 2.5 per cent increase on the previous year."

John Rutherford OBE of the South-East of England Development Agency commented on the importance of Southampton Airport for commerce in the region, describing good air links as "vital for international business".