Issue 22 | Page 21

TRAVEL Teesside International – cleared for take-off COME FLY WITH ME Teesside International Airport has thrown its doors back open to passengers, with popular connections and new destinations helping it get off to a flying start. After temporarily suspending operations due to the coronavirus pandemic, the airport is back in business. As well as Eastern Airways’ daily Monday to Friday flights between Aberdeen and Belfast, the airline is offering routes to holiday destination Newquay and London City Airport – the region’s first flight to the capital in more than a decade. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has also announced that its connection from the airport to Amsterdam Schiphol will be restarting on August 3, beginning with a single daily service and growing back to three times a day when the market allows. The airline has signed a new deal with the airport that will see the route to the Dutch capital continue for at least the next five years. The airport is in continued discussions with all of its airline partners over the reintroduction of services from Teesside Airport, with more announcements on the return of more flights expected soon. The health, wellbeing and safety of passengers and staff is its main priority as the airport reopens. To make sure everyone feels as comfortable as possible using and working at Teesside International, new safety measures have been introduced. These have been put in place to promote social distancing and sanitisation in line with government advice following the coronavirus outbreak. To minimise contact and maintain social distancing, only passengers and staff will be allowed to enter the main terminal, with people reminded not to travel should they or anyone in their household be displaying symptoms. Six simple steps for staying safe at the airport have been drawn up to protect passengers and staff. These are: Step 1: Clean your hands and collect a face mask to protect yourself and others Step 2: Check in at one of our socially distanced desks. If you don’t have hold luggage, why not check in online? Step 3: Use contactless payment to pay for your Passenger Facility Fee (PFF) ticket or alternatively book online Step 4: Minimise what you carry to help us avoid hand searches during security checks to assist with social distancing Step 5: Sit two metres apart from passengers outside of your party in the departure lounge Step 6: Board your flight making sure your face mask is on to protect yourself and others. Teesside International is working to become bigger and better than ever to serve local people and companies across the region and these announcements reaffirm the foundations for its future plans to build upon. Whether it’s for business or leisure, Teesside International Airport is taking off again and is looking forward to welcoming you back soon. Flight information and more details on safety measures can be found at teessideinternational.com The voice of business in the Tees region | 21