A NEW battle of the skies is expected with the announcement that Manchester is to have a new low-cost airline.

www.Jet2.com will initially bring six Boeing 737s to Manchester Airport, serving nine European destinations, with one-way fares starting from £21, and creating up to 200 jobs.

The move puts the airport -- Britain's third largest -- in pole position in its fastest growing "no frills" sector. And it could mean a head-to-head war between low cost airlines and scheduled carriers competing on lucrative European routes.

www.Jet2.com will initially fly to nine destinations: Budapest, Faro, Geneva, Malaga, Murcia, Nice, Pisa, Valencia and Venice. One-way fares range from £21 to £31, including taxes.

First flights to the Hungarian city of Budapest -- in time to cash in on the Christmas markets -- will depart on December 1.

Murcia, close to Spain's popular La Manga resort, where many Northerners have holiday homes, commences the following day. The flights, costing from £31, will be four-times weekly and double-daily by March.

Switzerland is the next launch with daily flights to Geneva beginning on December 18, aimed at attracting the ski market.

In February next year daily flights to Malaga, from £31, will be introduced with daily services to Faro, Nice, Valencia and Venice commencing on March 19. Daily flights to Pisa will begin on May 26.

The company already offers low cost travel to 14 destinations from Leeds-Bradford Airport and, speaking in Manchester today, airline boss Philip Meeson said: "Our aim is to be the number one airline for leisure travellers in the North. We are here to build on our overwhelming success in Yorkshire and we are offering people in Greater Manchester and beyond genuine low cost services."

It already has a 50 per cent increase in its summer timetable to continental routes from Yorkshire for next year.

"Almost 200 new jobs, from cabin crew to check-in staff, will be created," Mr Meeson added. "www.Jet2.com plans to get bigger, better -- we want more routes, more frequency and cheaper travel for all."

John Spooner, Manchester Airport's managing director, said: "We are delighted that www.Jet2.com has chosen Manchester base for their future plans.

"It has quickly established itself as a major airline in the North and we are pleased they are joining our fastest growing no-frills sector."