LOW-cost airline bmibaby today unveiled plans to double the size of its Manchester Airport operations, adding frequencies and new destinations over the next few years as part of a major investment programme which could create more than 100 jobs.

The carrier, which celebrates five years of flying from Manchester this month, currently operates services to 15 European gateways with a fleet of four jets.

It is eyeing new routes across Spain, France and Italy, as well as emerging markets in eastern Europe such as Warsaw and Krakow.

Crawford Rix, managing director of bmibaby, shrugged off fears of a consumer downturn and the pound's slump against the euro to report a six per cent increase in passenger numbers for April compared with the same month last year, and said competition against no-frills carriers such as easyJet and Monarch would fuel demand from Manchester overall.

"There is plenty of room for expansion. Manchester is working extremely well for us, and we have a great deal of confidence in the market," he said.

Bmibaby currently has 100 staff based at Manchester.