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THE region's biggest airport has suspended its chief executive while an investigation is carried out into what it described as "personal contractual issues".
Newcastle International Airport Limited said John Parkin would have no further involvement in the day-to-day management of the company during the investigation.
Mystery surrounds the exact cause of Mr Parkin's suspension which one of the airport's main shareholders, Newcastle City Council, said was of "great concern".
An airport spokesman could shed no light on the situation and said no further comment would be made until the investigation was complete.
David Laws, formerly the airports commercial and aviation development director, will take over Mr Parkin's chief executive duties.
A new executive director, Simon Fisher, has been appointed as finance director and company secretary.
A spokeswoman for Newcastle City Council said: "As a shareholder in the airport along with a number of other councils, this situation is of great concern to us.
"It would inappropriate for us to comment further on what is clearly a complex situation.
"The airport is a valued and vital local business and we are confident that it has a bright and prosperous future."
Meanwhile, a transport official, based in the region, who did not want to be named, said the news had come as a shock.
He said: "It's come out of the blue. The relationship our organisation has had with the airport has always been through the chief executive and he has always been very open and honest about their plans."
Mr Parkin joined the airport as managing director in June 2002 from Bristol International Airport, where he was also managing director.
His background includes management stints with the likes of the Thomas Cook group and P&O.
Under his leadership passenger numbers have continued to grow and several new routes have been added, one of the most recent being a direct service from the North-East to Dubai in the Middle East.
The airport itself has also grown in size with a new £7m terminal extension being opened three years ago.
However, one of its more high profile ventures, a link up with American Airlines in 2005, failed to get off the ground after the American firm pulled the plug on planned flights to New York before they had begun.