Carlisle Airport is set to take off next year with three routes planned and flight s to London costing about £100.

Work on upgrading the runway has already started and the first flight is scheduled for June 4 .

Kate Willard, head of corporate projects for the airport's owner, the Stobart Group, revealed it was all systems go for the launch.

There will be flights to Dublin, Belfast and the Stobart-owned Southend airport for London travellers.

And Ms Willard said further routes were already being discussed.

An announcement on which airline will operate from the airport, to the east of the city, will be made early in the New Year.

She said Stobart Air was one option, but that the company was also talking to another company about operating.

She said: “The f irst route will go to Dublin. From day one there will be a European route. With the ability to transfer and land in the US. There will also be London Southend and Belfast.

“ We are talking to a couple of arilines. We have Stobart Air in our back pocket but it may be that another airline or aircraft type might work better in the early years of operation.

“ We have to make sure that we get our predictions right and have the right sort of aircraft for the right sort of volumes to the right sort of places.

“ It is more about getting the right size of plane, the right destination and the frequency. We will be announcing the carrier very early in the New Year,

“ We are not looking at using 737s at the start, they will be a lot smaller.

“[We're] l ooking at about 50,000 passengers in year one.

"We’re not yet in a position to confirm the type of plane that will be used – will announce that when we announce carrier earlier in the new year. ”

The cost of flights to London are expected to be under £100 to compete with the rail service.

Ms Willard added: “We need to be competitive with the railway. But it is also about making it a great service.”

Work on upgrading the runway has started and building a new terminal is expected to start soon.

Carlisle MP John Stevenson has been a consistent supporter of the project.

He said: “ This is really positive news after such a long period of development. It is good to see some light at the end of the tunnel.

“ The development of the airport is extremely important for the development of the Cumbrian economy.

“ There will be a real boost for the business and leisure sectors and real prospects to see further economic development around the city and the county.”