PARIS is the latest possible destination for flights from Southend Airport.

Stobart Air, which owns the airport, has revealed it is keen on regular connections to the French capital as it tries to expand its aviation business.

Budget airline easyJet, which will start flights to eight overseas cities from Southend in April, is expected to announce at least two more continental destinations.

However, airport bosses remained tight-lipped over whether Paris would be one of them.

A spokesman said: “All we can say right now is that new routes will be announced as and when it is appropriate to do so.

“In Southend, we fully expect to have a number of additional new routes over the next four years.”

Stobart announced its intentions to expand the airport as soon as it took over the site in 2008.

The company harbours similar ambitions for Carlisle Lake District Airport, which it bought less than a year later.

Stobart is currently trying to gain permission to start passenger flights from Carlisle, including a twice-daily service to Southend.

In its latest planning application to Carlisle City Council, the firm also revealed it had aspirations for European flights from the city via Southend – with Paris and Amsterdam named as its two favoured destinations.

The Dutch capital is already on the list of cities to which travellers can book easyJet flights from Southend, leading to speculation Paris may soon be joining it.

Even if easyJet does not take up the route, Stobart also owns a large stake in Aer Arann.

The Irish airline is also believed to be investigating the possibility of a setting up a new base in France, which could serve Southend.

The news was welcomed by Nigel Holdcroft, Southend Council’s Conservative leader.

He said: “I’m sure in the coming months we are going to see more European destinations between Southend and the likes of Paris announced.

“That can only be good news.”

No one was available for comment from easyJet.