Skyman, No one mentioned the percentages of increase of passengers ,just that there was a massive increase. The downturn was not instigated by the raising of prices. The prices stayed the same and the loads stayed the same, the airlines withdrew. Why they withdrew is still a matter of conjecture.
As far as I know passengers have never travelled from Southern Scotland to Teesside after all it is a 2 1/2 hour journey by car at the best of times. We are actually a long way from Jockland. I did think that you meant road and rail links but again they have no impact on Teesside.
I do think it is patronising to suggest that the only people travelling from Teesside are those looking for a cheap holiday although I do not see why it costs more to travel by air in the school holidays. I hope the staff are paid more in the school holidays!
Your company may maintain a presence in the area but they obviously don't go out much. Every one I know in the manufacturing industries in the area has never been busier than in the last 6 months. This includes Corus who are working flat out to complete orders even under the threat of redundancy . The problems mainly come from foreign based owners who are under pressure in other strands of their business.Teesside is booming at the moment believe it or not. I have lived and worked through two recessions in the 70s and 80s and this one is nothing as compared to those. The difference this time is that City is involved and so therefore it is headline news. My specs are not rose tinted they are clear and show the realities of life. The only problem at Teesside Airport is the people who are managing it. They get paid huge salaries when things are going well but only earn that money when things are going wrong. They are not earning that money and have not done so in the last 2 years. What did they do to hold onto Globespan ,Tui, BMI etc? Obviously not enough. They either did not realise the enormity of their inaction or perhaps they did and this is part of the master plan.
As an aside the Metro is operating the same rolling stock over the same rails on a more frequent schedule. The lunatics have taken over the asylum.