Airline 'delighted' with ticket reponse

Air Southwest is also to operate routes to Bristol and Manchester

The South West's newest regional airline says it has sold more than 6,000 seats in less than three weeks, enough to fill 120 of its aircraft.

Air Southwest takes over the running of scheduled flights from Newquay and Plymouth to London Gatwick's North Terminal from 26 October with four return flights a day, seven days a week.

The company takes over from British Airways, which announced in May it would be pulling out of the route.

Tickets went on sale on 1 September.

'Book early'

From 1 March next year, Air Southwest will start twice daily return services from Plymouth to Bristol and Manchester.

The company behind Air Southwest, Sutton Harbour Holdings, owns Plymouth City Airport and the airline's managing director Malcolm Naylor said he was "delighted" with the response.

"The trick is to book early to get the best deal, and we've seen some bookings as far ahead as next August," he said.