Airport is key to economy

May 12 2009 by Sue Scott, Evening Gazette

TEES Valley’s economic prosperity depends on a successful airport, local businesses have claimed.

Former Tees Valley MP Michael Bates caused local outrage by questioning whether the North-east was large enough to host two world-class airports, before reiterating his “wholehearted” commitment to DTVA.

But local bosses say recent difficulties represent a recession-induced blip rather than a question mark over the airport’s long-term viability.

Express delivery giant TNT, which has a base at the airport, plans to open a new purpose-built on-site depot.

Kyle Talbot, TNT’s general manager for Teesside and Durham, says: “It is cost-effective for us to be based at the airport. If more companies come to the site, perhaps they will import and export more freight.”

Melanie Pinches of travel agency Cleveland Holidays - which recently moved to the airport, said: “There is a need for this airport in this region. We feel that it has quite a lot of potential and people want to fly from here.”

Since opening its doors at the airport on February 28, the company has taken bookings from 250 business and leisure customers - “a little bit down” on previous years due to the recession.

But Melanie says the Eastern Airways service to Aberdeen and KLM’s Tees Valley to Amsterdam link were proving popular with business travellers.