The biggest aircraft using Southampton are Boeing 737 and 757, which are on used overseas flights by Air France, Brussels Airlines and Flyglobespan. The Boeing 737-800 can carry 280 passengers. Most other aircraft at Southampton are smaller; the new Embraer 195 being used by FlyBe has a maximum capacity of 122 passengers, whilst the others have room for under 100. FlyBe's other main aircraft is the Bombardier Q400, with a maximum capacity of 78. The smallest is the Trislander, which Aurigney flies to Alderney; this has room for only 18 passengers
The Boeing and Embraer planes are powered by two wing-mounted turbofan jet engines. The Embraer 195 was introduced to replace a fleet of four-engined Bae146 planes, which are no longer flying from Southampton. Many others including the Q400 and the J41 and Saab100 planes, are twin turboprop planes – with propellers driven by jet engines. These are a little quieter and more fuel efficient than jets, but fly neither as high nor as fast; they are common on regional flights.
The
Trislander plane, a
very distinctive yellow plane which is instantly recognisable, is the
only passenger plane from Southampton with propellers powered piston
engines (two on the wing, one on the tail). This plane, built in
1970, has the worst noise and pollution of any plane from the
airport, and should be taken out of service in the forseeable future.