Twice-weekly Birmingham and Southampton routes will get under way in May.

The Southampton route will launch on 24 May, followed by Birmingham on 28 May.

Flights will operate on Mondays and Fridays.

It is the first time Southampton has had a direct Gibraltar service.

Eastern’s Birmingham-Gibraltar flights, meanwhile, replace those lost to the Midlands since the collapse of Monarch and marks Eastern’s return to Birmingham as an operator.

Fares lead in from £74.99pp one-way, including taxes and hold baggage.

Flights will be operated by Embraer 190 e-jets.

Roger Hage, Eastern Airways general manager, hailed the announcement was a "major development" for the airline’s network.

"The new services see both our return to Birmingham airport as an operator while extending the growing number of destinations served from our Southampton hub," he said.

Hage added the routes would offer access to a new short-break destination, while also supporting financial services and maritime business functions.