Palmair joins Ryanair in Bournemouth flights suspension

Bournemouth Airport recently opened a new £45m terminal

A second airline has suspended winter flights in and out of Bournemouth Airport - just months after a new £45m terminal opened.

Palmair has followed Ryanair's decision last month and stopped all services in November, December and January.

The airline said it was concerned about poor advance bookings, despite big demand in the coming weeks.

The airport said other airlines would still operate over the winter and there was still "plenty of business".

It comes after Bournemouth Airport unveiled a new £45m terminal in June, despite falling passenger numbers.

Palmair managing director David Skillicorn said the majority of its bookings were for last-minute flights, which has left demand for winter flights uncertain.

He added: "The big demand at the moment is for imminent travel.

"Because Ryanair pulled out we have looked at our position and what that means for us."

In June, low-budget airline Ryanair blamed the government's air passenger tax for suspended winter flights.

Stephen Turner, commercial director at the airport, said he was confident Ryanair and Palmair were still committed long-term to the airport.

He added: "We still have Thomson which is operating their full winter schedule while Thomas Cook will be running flights in November.

"We are also in discussion with a number of other operators and I am confident we will have plenty of business.

"The recession has had an impact, the ash cloud, the price of the Euro, a whole host of things that have happened.

"But we are seeing passenger growth in the summer, although the winter will be tough."