Airline's new South West flights

The new flights will begin operating in the spring

The South West based airline Flybe has announced expansion plans as part of a bid to strengthen its position as a regional hub.

The airline company has said seven new routes are scheduled for its two airports in Cornwall and Devon.

New services to Glasgow, Birmingham and Southampton will be on offer from Newquay.

Passengers from Exeter will be able to travel to Aberdeen, Dubrovnik, Inverness and Brussels.

All the flights are expected to start in the spring next year.

Direct competition

Until now Flybe has largely been associated with tourist flights to sunshine destinations.

But most of the seven new scheduled routes are aimed at the business traveller.

In particular, the flights from Newquay to Glasgow will bring Flybe in to direct competition with Air Southwest.

Chief commercial officer Mike Rutter said: "We had long plans to link Newquay to other routes.

"Obviously consumers will benefit from the competition and we'll see how long that competition survives."