PASSENGERS flying from Bournemouth Airport this summer will be able to take advantage of a new route to the Amalfi Coast.

For the first time ever, Thomson and First Choice are offering a new route to Naples on the Neapolitan Riviera.

Renowned for its breathtaking coastline and dramatic cliff-hugging towns such as Sorrento, Positano and Ravello, the destination is also within easy reach of the ruins of Pompeii and Rome.

The weekly flight from Bournemouth to Naples will operate from early May until the end of October.

As well as Naples, the Thomson summer programme also includes flights and holidays to Corfu and Rhodes, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Tenerife, the Balearic Islands - Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza, Paphos in Cyprus and the Turkish resort of Dalaman.

And Ryanair are also operating 35 flights a week this summer, including two flights to Krakow, which is a new route for the summer. This is four more weekly flights than last year.

Bournemouth Airport managing director, Paul Knight said: "I’m delighted that Thomson/First Choice have decided to introduce a new route to the Neapolitan Riviera which is the perfect choice for those wanting to experience some of the best scenery, cuisine and weather that Italy has to offer.

"It’s also encouraging to see that the Ryanair will maintain two flights a week to Krakow this summer.

"I am confident that these new destinations will prove popular with those looking for a holiday or short break, with the convenience of flying from their local airport.”

Ryanair's summer routes include Alicante, Barcelona Girona, Faro, Gran Canaria, Malaga, Mallorca, Malta, Murcia and Tenerife.

It comes after the number of people using the airport exceeded expectations for this year - in part due to winter routes, the service to Krakow and bigger aircraft.

Ryanair's winter sun routes and "excellent general aviation performance" were credited for the boost in passengers.