highwideandugly get real. Try getting from Darlington to either EGNT or EGNM in an hour. If I were flying from either I would allow at least 2 hours to be safe. Those airports are NOT local airports. People of Teesside are brainwashed into thinking EGNT is their local airport, IT IS NOT!! Improve public transport to EGNV, provide reasonable destinations that people want, market the airport properly as Teesside Airport and we would see pax figures approaching the 2006 levels in no time. If the labour leaders of the five councils oppose the plan they should be ditched as soon as possible. A Tory Mayor proposing a public buy back (nationisation?) is innovative. He has ditched petty party politics for the good of the region. Power to his elbow. Onion makes a very good point in the fact that the £2m loss includes loan payback. The loss should not be so high once the deal is done. Give us back our own airport, it is part of our transport infrastructure.