Durham Tees Valley Airport future under question as charter holidays ditched

The future of Durham Tees Valley Airport is in question as it announced a “streamlining” of operations which will ditch mainstream holiday charter programmes from summer next year.

This week regional media reported that Thomson/First Choice has been forced to pull the plug on major summer flights and the airport has confirmed Balkan Holidays have also been affected.

Scheduled daily passenger flights to Schiphol (Amsterdam) operated by KLM and flights to Aberdeen operated by Eastern Airways are not affected and will continue as normal, as are Flybe flights operated on behalf of CITS to Jersey.

Airport bosses say the terminal will downsize but maintain that investment set out in the recent ‘Master Plan’ will see new retail offerings and business services incorporated into the new layout.

Durham Tees Valley Airport’s managing director Steve Gill said: “We have taken these steps following a difficult period for the airport and a thorough review of the whole site and our current operations, in order to give the airport a strong foundation to help safeguard the future of aviation activity.

“The result is a strategic Master Plan which will be available for public consultation from mid November. This will show how we plan to reposition the airport to focus on business and general aviation and will outline our plans for further developments.

“These will enable us to work towards expanding and diversifying our aviation and non-aviation activities across a broader base and grow back passenger services. This is envisaged to provide additional UK and global connections for the region’s business community who have a significant need to access international markets.

“The recent announcement of our investment in the new hangar facility for the National Police Air Service and the purchase of a significant development site on the north eastern edge of the airport demonstrates our commitment to deliver a long term future for Durham Tees Valley Airport so that we can continue to make a positive contribution to the economy of the Tees Valley and beyond.”

The Airport’s strategic planning director, Peter Nears, recently announced a ‘Master Plan’ would be published and a public consultation on it would follow in November.

In his statement at the beginning of October, Mr Nears said: “Very few airports, even the largest, can survive alone from passenger traffic revenue and in the case of smaller airports such as Durham Tees Valley it is essential that they create diverse income streams.”

Only earlier this year the Airport owners, Peel Holdings, had a second RGFbid rejected by the Government. Peel bosses claimed the plans had the potential to create 4,500 jobs.

The Airport said anyone who has booked holiday flights to Palma, Ibiza or Bulgaria for 2014 flying from Durham Tees Valley Airport is advised to contact their tour operator or travel agent for advice.

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