Budget airline Ryanair has confirmed it will continue to operate services from Prestwick Airport next year.

There will be a total of 44 weekly return flights from Prestwick next summer, along with 57 return flights from Glasgow. 

Speculation had mounted about the future of Ryanair services at the airport after it announced the transfer of several routes to Glasgow Airport in July.

The budget airline is currently the only remaining passenger carrier at Prestwick, which was purchased by the Scottish government last year. The continued presence of Ryanair is expected to sustain 500 jobs at the site.

Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary said: "Ryanair is pleased to be the first airline in Scotland to launch its 2015 summer schedule, with nine new Glasgow International routes...and just as important 16 Glasgow Prestwick routes."

He added that this would deliver 1.35 million customers to and from Glasgow every year.