Bristol airport will struggle to attract new long-haul destinations because regional flights struggle to fill up lucrative business class seats, a group of MPs has warned.

Although many regional airports link up with European hubs such as Paris Charles de Gaulle, Bristol International is one of the few that has connections to international hubs, including New York.

However, the Commons transport select committee said the withdrawal of British Airways and bmi from transatlantic routes from Manchester means the writing is on the wall for regional long-haul expansion.

Part of the problem, it said, is the lack of profits from flights that do not attract many passengers flying in business class.

In its Future of Aviation report, out today, the committee said: "Bristol, Newcastle and Belfast International (are among those that) run services to non-EU hubs. It seems clear, however, given the withdrawal of British Airways and bmi transatlantic routes from Manchester, that further expansion of long-haul services from regional airports is unlikely.

"One problem lies in generating sufficient business-class demand, which is important for profitability."

A decision was due on the £150-million expansion plans for Bristol airport this month but North Somerset Council postponed it due to the complexity of the lengthy application.

The decision is now expected in February. The proposals would increase annual passenger traffic to 10 million by 2016 from the current level of six million a year.

MPs on the transport committee called on the Government to recognise the financial importance of regional airports by updating its assessment of their economic value regularly. Committee chairman Louise Ellman MP said: "Aviation is important to the UK economy, both in the South East of England and in the regions. Regional airports are important for regional economic growth and transport."

Bristol Airport spokesman James Gore told the Evening Post: "We welcome the Transport Select Committee's recognition that regional airports such as Bristol International play a key role in economic development by serving local business markets and facilitating inward investment.

"Bristol International handled over 800,000 business passengers last year, and routes to major hubs such as Newark/New York, Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels are particularly vital as they enable travellers from the South West to make onward connections to destinations across the globe.

"The committee highlights a change in travel patterns which has seen more passengers using regional airports instead of travelling to London. However, five million passengers from the South West still used London airports last year in order to access long-haul services to destinations not currently served from Bristol.

"Enabling businesses from this region to access more non-EU hubs, such as Dubai, from their local airport would deliver substantial time and cost savings.

"Bristol International's forecasts, which show that the airport could be handling 10 million passengers per annum by 2019/20, are not based solely on long-haul growth."

A list of potential new short-haul destinations that could be made possible by development of the airport includes cities such as Munich, Dusseldorf, Zurich and Copenhagen.