Wizz Air - the largest low fare, low cost airline in Central and Eastern Europe started operating flights from Bournemouth to Poland last summer with the introduction of a direct route to Katowice Airport in the south of the country. Since its launch the service has carried over 30,000 passengers and this new route to Gdansk is sure to prove just as successful.

Gdansk is a great city break destination. Situated on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, this 1000 year old city is Poland s maritime capital. As well as having a fascinating history with a wealth of museums and art galleries to visit, the city boasts a wide range of excellent restaurants, pubs and entertainment.

Commenting on this new route, Peter Duffy, Managing Director of Bournemouth Airport said: Wizz Air s route to Katowice was our first scheduled service into Eastern Europe and I m delighted that the airline has continued its commitment to Bournemouth by adding this second route to Poland .

Tickets for the flights start at £19.99 one way (including all taxes and charges) and are on sale at www.wizzair.com or by calling +48 22 351 94 99.

Flights to Gdansk will operate every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday:

For more information contact:
Sally Windsor
Tel: 01202 364106 or 07768 444556
Email: sally.windsor@bournemouthairport.com

Organised by the Dorset Music Service, this musical extravaganza takes place on Friday 4th April, and will see over 1200 young people from more than 120 schools across the County playing in front of an audience of around 5000 people. As its name suggests, the show will be a mix of different styles of music, dance and song all inspired by the Jurassic Coast.

Commenting on the sponsorship of Dorset Rocks!, Peter Duffy, Managing Director of Bournemouth Airport said: As part of the Manchester Airport Group, we firmly believe that the arts play a vital role in enriching and enlivening our communities. We are delighted to sponsor this event which will give young people, who live in our region, a unique opportunity to perform in a world class venue .

For more information:
Sally Windsor, External Affairs, Bournemouth Airport.
Tel: 01202 364106 or 07768 444556
Email: sally.windsor@bournemouthairport.com

Stephanie Sainsbury, Business Finance Manager, Dorset Music Service
Tel: 01258 457480
Email: s.a.sainsbury@dorsetcc.gov.uk

Speaking today, Ryanair s Communications Executive, Lorna Farren said: We re delighted to announce yet another new route from Bournemouth to Edinburgh. With just over one month to go until the launch of our new Bournemouth base, more than 25,000 passengers have already snapped up bargains on our new routes to Malaga, Murcia, Nantes, Palma and Wroclaw.

This announcement means that Ryanair will soon be operating a double daily service to Scotland s two major cities, which is an important consideration for the local business community. Peter Scott, Chief Executive of Dorset Business commented: This new Ryanair route will be of real value to the increasing number of businesses in the region who have clients and customers in Scotland. This now means that both Glasgow and Edinburgh will be accessible from Bournemouth as a day return destination.

The return of an Edinburgh route will also be popular with local holiday makers wanting to visit this stunning city, and with the local tourism industry who can see the potential for bringing visitors down to the south coast. Mike Francis, Chairman of the Bournemouth Tourism Management Board said: This is great news for local tourism. Those living in Scotland can now reach Bournemouth in just over an hour and I m hoping to see an increasing number of visitors taking advantage of this new route.

Ryanair s recent announcement that it is to base a $70 million aircraft at Bournemouth clearly demonstrates the airline s confidence in the region. It s an investment that will deliver one million passengers through the Airport each year, provide a £60 million boost for the local economy, and sustain 1000 jobs.

For more information contact:
Bournemouth Press Office
Tel: 0845 108 8542
Email: pressoffice@bournemouthairport.com

The Fund has four very clear objectives:

• To bring the community closer together through facilities for sport, recreation and other leisure time activities
• To offer environmental improvement and/or heritage conservation
• To improve awareness of environmental issues through environmental education
• To encourage and/or protect wildlife.

The Fund s management committee is made up of three representatives from Christchurch Borough Council and one representative from Bournemouth Airport, and they will meet twice a year to award grants to eligible projects. Funding comes from Bournemouth Airport. In the first year the Fund will be worth £10,000 and this will steadily rise as passenger numbers at the airport increase.

Commenting on this important step forward for the airport, Christopher Cockroft, Finance Manager and Chair of the Bournemouth Airport Community Fund Management Committee said: We are very conscious of our need to be part of the local community and to support projects which offer lasting benefit to all members of this community. The representatives from Christchurch Borough Council will bring important, local knowledge to the Community Fund and ensure that the money is used to the maximum benefit of local residents.

Cllr Sally Derham Wilkes, Chairman of Christchurch Council s Community Services Committee added: We re very grateful to the Airport for coming up with the funding for this wonderful community-based idea. I know there are a number of groups and organisations in the Borough who are crying out for a bit of money to purchase some important equipment or to get a project off the ground. We look forward to receiving some application forms so we can get the Community Fund off to a great start.

Full details about the Bournemouth Airport Community Fund and an application form can be downloaded from the websites for Bournemouth Airport and Christchurch Borough Council: www.bournemouthairport.com and www.dorsetforyou.com

For more information contact:
Sally Windsor
Tel: 01202 364106 or 07768 444556
Email: sally.windsor@bournemouthairport.com

From April 2008, Ryanair will base a Boeing 737-800 aircraft at Bournemouth Airport and will also increase the number of destinations from seven to twelve routes.

Five new routes commence in April to Malaga, Murcia, Nantes, Palma and Wroclaw, complementing the existing seven Ryanair routes operating from Bournemouth.

Bournemouth Airport's Managing Director, Peter Duffy said "We are thrilled that Ryanair have chosen Bournemouth as their latest base. The addition of five new routes and the based aircraft is fantastic news for the Airport as it will undoubtedly enhance investment and tourism for the region. We are looking forward to welcoming more passengers to Bournemouth in 2008 and with a new based aircraft and new destinations on offer, our passengers now have far greater choice than ever before."

To celebrate the new based aircraft at Bournemouth, Ryanair are giving away a free bonus return flight on any flights booked to or from Bournemouth Airport before midnight on Thursday 10th January 2008.

Seats are on sale today at www.ryanair.com. Ryanair already flies from Bournemouth to Alicante, Barcelona, Dublin, Glasgow, Marseille, Milan and Pisa from Bournemouth Airport. The new routes start from 3rd April 2008 and run until 24 October 2008 and are as follows:

For more information contact:

• Bournemouth Press Office
• Tel: 0845 108 8542
• Email: pressoffice@bournemouthairport.com

The facility, called WebTrak , provides detailed information about aircraft that have landed or taken off from Bournemouth Airport and replays the track the aircraft has flown. Flight information is updated daily and is displayed 24 hours in arrears to maintain aviation security.

The Airport has teamed up with industry experts Lochard to provide the facility which uses data sourced from the Bournemouth radar. This includes all aircraft operations within a 30 mile radius of the Airport, with the exception of aircraft above 15,000 feet and some light aircraft. Other aircraft operating within the Airport s airspace that did not arrive or depart from Bournemouth will also be displayed but without the detailed information provided for Airport-related aircraft.

Until now, information about specific aircraft associated with the Airport could only be obtained by written request. By visiting the Airport s website, the public can now interrogate the system for themselves to obtain information such as the aircraft s track, altitude, airline and aircraft type.

Announcing the launch of WebTrak, Paul Knight, Bournemouth Airport s Operations Director said: When we applied for planning permission to redevelop the airport, we pledged to introduce an on-line system which would give members of the public detailed information about the aircraft landing and taking off from the Airport. We are fully committed to supporting our local community and want to be as transparent as possible about our operation. WebTrak provides this facility and gives everyone living and working in the area a clear picture about what is happening in the skies above them.

Since its foundation in 1991, market leader Lochard has built the world's foremost airport noise monitoring and flight track management solutions. They provide a complete suite of hardware and software products and have the most integrated airport noise management installations worldwide. Lochard's experience extends to over 130 airport customers worldwide.

For more information contact:
Airport Press Office
Tel: 0845 108 8542
Email: pressoffice@bournemouthairport.com