Europe’s largest regional airline will fly out of Kent International Airport for the first time next month.

Flybe, which operates more than 180 routes and carried more than seven million passengers last year, will begin its weekly Manston to Jersey flights on Saturday, May 9.

Take off for the Flybe service comes after holidaymakers flew out of Kent International Airport for the first time in 2009 on Tuesday (April 14). The opening passenger flight of 2009 whisked sunseekers off to the popular Mediterranean island of Malta.

Specialist tour operator Newmarket Holidays chartered the flight. It will offer a further 16 breaks this year, to destinations including Italy, Croatia and Austria.

Matt Clarke, chief executive of Kent International Airport, said: “The start of the holiday season is always an exciting time with passengers checking in and passing through the terminal in eager anticipation of their hard earned breaks.

“The slower pace of life and relaxed Mediterranean attitude in Malta will certainly be a refreshing change for our first passengers of the year.”