from the Journals NEBusiness.co.uk:
"DURHAM Tees Valley Airport (DTVA) claimed it was on track to boost passenger numbers to 3m by 2015 as it launched a charm offensive to lure more airlines to the region.
DTVA delegates at this year’s World Route Development Forum - which ends in Kuala Lumpa today - are selling the benefits of Tees Valley in a bid to seal deals with airlines from Europe, Asia, USA and the Middle East. The airport secured 40 meetings with airlines at the annual event, which brings together more than 750 airports and around 350 airlines from across the globe, and hopes to convert initial dialogue into new business.
“We cannot name names but we are talking with airlines from Europe and further afield,” said Robin Tudor, head of PR at DTVA owner, Peel Airports Group. “There is no reason why long-haul flights cannot be conducted out of Durham Tees Valley.”
Currently, there are no direct long haul flights from Tees Valley.
Regardless of the outcome of the Malaysia talks, DTVA said the economic crisis had not forced a downward revision of its target to quadruple passenger numbers from 750,000 over the next seven years.
“We are still working towards these targets. We know this is a difficult time but the future for aviation is good, based on high demand for low-cost flying,” said Mr Tudor.
Three budget carriers - Ryanair, flyglobespan and jet2com - already fly from DTVA, and both Ryanair and business airline KLM recently pledged their long-term support for the terminal, although flyglobespan has yet to make decision over next summer’s schedule."
Good news about new Jet2 flights...