Following an extensive review of its business, Durham Tees Valley Airport has today announced the first steps toward repositioning itself for the future.
Scheduled daily passenger flights to Schiphol (Amsterdam) operated by KLM and flights to Aberdeen operated by Eastern Airlines are not affected and will continue as normal, protecting the region’s connectivity to key global markets.
This transition will see the Airport streamlining operations and moving away from all mainstream holiday charter programmes from summer 2014, with the exception of Flybe flights operated on behalf of CITS to Jersey. The tour operators affected are Thomson/First Choice and Balkan Holidays and Durham Tees Valley Airport would like to thank Thomson and Balkan for all their support over the years.
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.
As part of the transition, the terminal will undergo changes, making the operational area smaller and investment in the new layout will make it more suited to customers on scheduled flights. New retail offerings and business services will be incorporated in the new layout.
Commenting on the decision today, Durham Tees Valley Airport’s Managing Director Stephen 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.”
FoDTVA’s View
Durham Tees Valley Airport has been unprofitable for quite some time now and owners Peel Investments have identified holiday flights as the primary loss-making area. Even with Peel’s deep pockets, no business can sustain a reported £2 million annual loss forever, therefore change has to be made. Peel tried for some time to attract enough holiday flights to make the passenger terminal profitable, but due to the current climate they were not forthcoming and that’s not something that’s likely to change in the short-to-medium term future, so the decision has been made to diversify.
The much anticipated master plan is due for release mid-November, FoDTVA have been told we will feature heavily in it. From a business perspective we can certainly appreciate why Peel have made this decision, however they must now successfully go about bringing in alternative aviation business to the facility.
FoDTVA fully support today’s decision.
by Durham Tees Valley Airport
30th October 2013