NEWS
Happy holidays – Teessiders are flocking to our airport , with passenger numbers climbing .
AIRPORT TAKES FLIGHT
Passenger numbers boost as new business park development takes shape
Teesside Airport ’ s summer 2022 season has been a huge success as it looks to the future to improve its services for passengers and businesses alike .
The airport had its biggest summer in almost a decade this year , which has seen passenger numbers on holiday flights more than 90 per cent loaded .
Figures showed that it was also one of the only airports in the north to have passenger numbers higher than prepandemic levels , serving 23,358 in August 2022 versus 12,284 in August 2019 .
Teesside was also named the most punctual airport in the country in July , right at the height of its busiest season , with no flights cancelled during the month .
Just days after the season came to an end , airlines announced further support for the airport with new and expanded routes , and the restarting of a popular global link .
Tickets are on sale now for next year ’ s summer season , including with the UK ’ s biggest holiday firm TUI .
It revealed that – along with its previously advertised routes to Majorca and Antalya in Turkey – it would be adding a second connection to Palma and launching connections to Turkey ’ s Dalaman in 2024 too .
KLM has also reinstated its popular 6am flight from Teesside to Amsterdam Schiphol , boosting links to more than 160 destinations worldwide , perfect for business travellers or holidaymakers looking for something further afield .
Alongside its year-round flights to Alicante , next summer Ryanair will once again be helping people to jet off to Corfu ,
Faro and Palma .
Balkan Holidays is also offering trips to Bulgaria , initially every Sunday from May , then a second Thursday flight from June . Closer to home , Loganair has passengers covered with links to Aberdeen , Belfast and Dublin .
As well as working to secure new routes to benefit holidaymakers and businesses , the airport is continuing to invest in its property and assets , officially throwing open the doors to a new £ 2.5m state-ofthe-art cargo handling facility .
The purpose-built 21,000sq ft hangar provides cutting edge security screening technology , as well as handling , freightforwarding , customs clearance and storage . The facility can also be used for specialised charter flights for both air and road freight .
The airport now has secured regulated agent status from the Civil Aviation Authority , allowing it to handle secure cargo at its site . The fully accredited facility is expected to create up to 30 good-quality jobs .
The new facilities will all serve to capitalise on the huge opportunity within
Development – Teesside Airport has officially launched its new £ 2.5m stateof-the-art cargo handling facility . the region . Goods worth £ 2.9bn were exported from the North-East in Q4 2021 , with a 47.3 per cent recovery from the pandemic low point in Q2 2020 , higher than the national average . It will target 71,000 businesses within an hour ’ s drive of the airport , as well as those further afield .
Work is also continuing on the link road for the airport ’ s £ 200m Southside Business Park , which will help further secure the airport ’ s financial future .
Located on 270 acres of land at the south side of the airport , the park is expected to create up to 4,400 jobs when fully operational , made up of 1.9m sq ft of logistics , distribution , and industrial buildings for business . Four units covering 130,000 sq ft are set to be created along a through-road in the first phase of the works .
Businesses already based there are also flourishing , with work complete on aviation services and technology firm Draken Europe ’ s new 16,000sq ft hangar .
This has allowed it to double its fleet by welcoming six Alca L-159E Honey Badger aircraft as part of a new contract with the UK ’ s Ministry of Defence .
Global Aviation giant Willis Lease Finance Corporation and its wholly owned subsidiary Willis Aviation Services , have now lodged planning documents for a maintenance facility and state-of-theart Jet Centre at Aviation Village . The investment , of up to £ 25m , is set to create a significant number of jobs .
Whether for business or pleasure , Teesside took off in 2022 and will continue to soar in 2023 .
Discover all flights from Teesside Airport at teessideinternational . com .
60 | Tees Business