Airport looks to spread its wings

Apr 29 2008 Evening Gazette

DURHAM Tees Valley Airport is looking to expand its range of European destinations and cash in on the booming in-bound tourism market to boost passenger traffic to two million by 2012.

Owner Peel Airports said it would work with airlines currently operating flights to and from Teesside to increase the range of options available to passengers and consolidate the airport’s position as “a gateway to the region”.

Neil Pakey, deputy chief executive officer at Peel Airports, said: “We will target summer sun spots in Europe and look to increase traffic between Teesside and Heathrow and Amsterdam – two destinations that give us access to the global market.

“In addition, we will look to take advantage of in-bound tourism, which is one of the fastest growing markets in the aviation industry.”

Despite rising fuel costs and air passenger duty tax, which are squeezing airlines’ margins and hitting holidaymakers’ pockets, Mr Pakey believes the airport’s access to “a multitude of markets” leaves it better protected than others.

“Our airlines give us a balanced economy,” he said.

“They allow us to operate in the in and out-bound business and leisure markets.”

The airport, which works with budget carriers RyanAir, flyglobespan and Polish-based Wizz Air said it handled more than 46,000 passengers in March, a rise of more than 16% on the same period in 2007.

Low cost services showed “significant growth”, with flyglobespan operating fights to Alicante, Malaga, Palma, Lanzarote and Tenerife.

Newly appointed airport director Kerry Quinn said demand for holidays in the sun was still strong in the region.

She said: “Nationally there is a projected downturn in the charter market, but this is not the case in the North-east”.

Yesterday, the airport began work on a £3m scheme to install airfield ground lighting along the runway. Work is expected to be complete by October.