I have just downloaded the winter flight schedule for DTV from the link Paarmo put up. Well I was absolutely bowled over by the piss poor flight options they have over the winter period. Two flights to Barbados, two flights to Malta but I am spoilt for choice going to Alicante as there is a flight every Tuesday, bargin!
Amsterdam daily three and Aberdeen four flights respectively, is there really only seven flights out of DTV a day?
I suppose DTV could advertise Amsterdam as a replacement stag weekend location to Newcastle and Aberdeen as erm urr well Aberdeen with connecting in flights to Bergen and Stavanger. I commute back to Aberdeen every weekend but I am priced out of flying that route on Eastern's Ford Escort with props so I stick myself to the train window for 5 hrs on a cheap fare.
With so many HM Forces in the NE I would have thought DTV might try and exploit the opportunity for loco flights to say Germany or have other quick thinking airports like LBA or NCL done that already? There is nothing standing out at DTV that makes me think about flying from there, absolutely sod all. Skyman hit the nail on the head in his last well written post, DTV I believe will struggle with it's bigger neighbours and especially in a volatile economic environment.
Off the subject a little but the last time I flew out of Teeside to Split on an RAF Tristar I arrived the night before (8 am flight and poor trains from Manchester) the caretaker was locking up about 1930 hrs and seemed a bit embarrassed by this, bless him he let me sleep in the Shell or ICI meeting room overnight. Does the caretaker still lock up around 1930 hrs?