I don't think we should be too hard on Skyman, he may or may not be a "barcode" but he speaks the truth about the stats. I've been to the airport twice this weekend, once coming in on the ryanair from Girona(a few empty seats but nothing to worry about) and once to collect my daughter and partner on the Heathrow (LOTS of empty seats)
The first impression is one of scruffy (lack of maintenance to landscaping on the expensive new entrance road) Chaos (taxi drop off in the car park)
The new appointment of the Managing director as non executive chair of Tees Valley Unlimited seems to me to be a bit of a strange move, given his overiding committments should be first, second, and third to the Airport.
He may well be looking to improve his CV in anticipation of a move.