DURHAM TEES VALLEY AIRPORT - 4
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sunderland
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Newcastle South might be a better idea. Most people haven't got a clue where Durham Tees Valley is, but know where Newcastle is, so it would give them a better idea of where they would be flying to.
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Near MME, England, UK
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Ryanair won't base here because we're not CAT III ILS and you can't use the name North East England International - I'm using that already for a 'virtual' airport on Microsoft Flight Simulator!! 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: U K
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Very few Ryanair destinations or bases have a cat3 or even a cat2 facility.
In reality, I don't think we are likely to see another name change at MME but if they could talk Ryanair into moving in they may at least be able to keep an airport, regardles of it's name.
In reality, I don't think we are likely to see another name change at MME but if they could talk Ryanair into moving in they may at least be able to keep an airport, regardles of it's name.
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Teesside
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New Operator - or not ?
Local BBC radio reporting this morning the possibility of the MME - Heathrow link being restored in the not too distant future. Some detail from the Northern Echo below indicates a completely new operator running ‘scheduled’ charter flights with a 733 into Heathrow, and London City as well. 733 and London City ?
‘’Excelsis Airways is hoping to start three round trips a day from Durham Tees Valley Airport (DTV) to Heathrow in early July. Excelsis has been formed by an American who was in the US Air Force and then became a British Airways executive. Before settling in County Durham, he worked in US internal flights.
The airline is leasing a Boeing 737-300 plane, which can normally seat up to 140 passengers, but because it is offering an up-market service, the capacity will be about 44.
Because the service will be classed as a private chartered flight, it is hoped to avoid the long check-in queues that usually more than double the 50-minute flying time. The new airline hopes to expand its service to six round trips a day, and then to create a triangular service between DTV, Heathrow and London’s City Airport.
There are longer term plans to fly businessmen and women to European capitals.’’
‘’Excelsis Airways is hoping to start three round trips a day from Durham Tees Valley Airport (DTV) to Heathrow in early July. Excelsis has been formed by an American who was in the US Air Force and then became a British Airways executive. Before settling in County Durham, he worked in US internal flights.
The airline is leasing a Boeing 737-300 plane, which can normally seat up to 140 passengers, but because it is offering an up-market service, the capacity will be about 44.
Because the service will be classed as a private chartered flight, it is hoped to avoid the long check-in queues that usually more than double the 50-minute flying time. The new airline hopes to expand its service to six round trips a day, and then to create a triangular service between DTV, Heathrow and London’s City Airport.
There are longer term plans to fly businessmen and women to European capitals.’’
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Near MME, England, UK
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There's a lot of specific information in the article which to me suggests this American is actually attempting this - but looking at the business model described in the Northern Echo, he's gonna lose money left, right and centre if it does get as far as pax-carrying flights.
Sorry but we're not saved just yet.
Sorry but we're not saved just yet.
Join Date: Jan 2000
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Made my sides ache with that one. I have seen lots of ways to loose money in aviation over the years but this one just about takes the biscuit.
It could have a chance on some routes but no way on domestic and definatley not on MME LHR. With regards to LCY, if they did manage to get a 737 in there without breaking it, the only way they would get it out again would be on a barge.
It could have a chance on some routes but no way on domestic and definatley not on MME LHR. With regards to LCY, if they did manage to get a 737 in there without breaking it, the only way they would get it out again would be on a barge.
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Durham
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The local press must be extremely gullable to take the proposal of a 'triangular service between DTV, Heathrow and London’s City Airport' with a 44 seat B737 remotely seriously.
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: the frozen north
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Mysterious unnamed American plans non existant airline flying non existant aircraft on non existant slots into Heathrow....Wow the Peel PR machine is in overdrive! Call me a cynic....still the queues of potential investors might be impressed.
(meanwhile the developement land has I believe been 'ringfenced')
(meanwhile the developement land has I believe been 'ringfenced')
Wow the Peel PR machine is in overdrive!
What planet is the management of DTV valley on?
Additional quote from the Evening Gazette:
The aim is to start the service in July, although there is no precise date at the moment because they are still in negotiations in relation to slots with Heathrow, which is a big issue.
private chartered flight
Last edited by SWBKCB; 11th May 2009 at 19:45.
Join Date: Jun 2007
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Sort out public transport links
Durham Tees Valley Airport (or "Teesside" as the Ryanair crew I flew in with last week still called it) is neither one thing nor the other at the moment. It is not a business airport, as Aberdeen and Amsterdam are not enough - add London (any), Paris, Brussels and Frankfurt to qualify in my view; and it is not a low-fares carrier airport - as low-fare-paying passengers won't want to pay more for a taxi to Darlington than they did for their airfare from Dublin or Spain (or Poland, when WizzAir flew in).
The trouble is, the bulk of the interlining business traffic is adequately served by AMS and there is not enough passenger demand to justify further dedicated services. And for low-fare passengers, the public transport options are just woeful. Ryanair passengers through Beauvais and Skavsta are brought to and from the airport by dedicated bus services, using modern comfortable buses, and pay reasonable fares. That just wouldn't work from MME, as it serves Redcar, Northallerton, Sedgefield, as well as Middlesbrough, Darlington, Stockton, and, allegedly, Durham. That's just too many destinations for public transport to serve on a bus-per-flight basis.
I wondered if making the airport a sub-regional transport hub with a bus interchange, train services and good road links might work, but I doubt it will happen: too many conflicting interests, I suppose. How about giving it to the RAF (or USAF!)?
The trouble is, the bulk of the interlining business traffic is adequately served by AMS and there is not enough passenger demand to justify further dedicated services. And for low-fare passengers, the public transport options are just woeful. Ryanair passengers through Beauvais and Skavsta are brought to and from the airport by dedicated bus services, using modern comfortable buses, and pay reasonable fares. That just wouldn't work from MME, as it serves Redcar, Northallerton, Sedgefield, as well as Middlesbrough, Darlington, Stockton, and, allegedly, Durham. That's just too many destinations for public transport to serve on a bus-per-flight basis.
I wondered if making the airport a sub-regional transport hub with a bus interchange, train services and good road links might work, but I doubt it will happen: too many conflicting interests, I suppose. How about giving it to the RAF (or USAF!)?
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Leeds
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I think the RAF are doing their best to get rid of their airports (e.g. Newquay) rather than take on extra ones!
As regards the name thing, sorry if I'm being stupid here, but what is wrong with the obvious...Middlesbrough, or Middlesbrough/Darlington?
As regards the name thing, sorry if I'm being stupid here, but what is wrong with the obvious...Middlesbrough, or Middlesbrough/Darlington?
Join Date: Jan 2009
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A few things
Firstly something I have always wondered. Why is Teesside/Durham Teesvalley actually "MME" on a baggage label anyway? I know not ALL airports have logical ones, but as most of the UK ones do, is there a logical explanation for MME?
Secondly, I have heard (through former colleagues at NCL) that Eastern have in the past toyed with a NCL-MME-LCY service (presumably on a J41). Apparently, part of this was in conjunction with OneNorthEast, but it never took off. Now that the LHR link has gone, could this perhaps be in contention again? Subsidised perhaps?
Finally, the Excelsis thing has to be a kid on a school project. No chance of this happening. More likely to see a frequency to Stansted or Luton with FR/U2 or a Gatwick service with BE. Which is even less likely.
RTG!
Firstly something I have always wondered. Why is Teesside/Durham Teesvalley actually "MME" on a baggage label anyway? I know not ALL airports have logical ones, but as most of the UK ones do, is there a logical explanation for MME?
Secondly, I have heard (through former colleagues at NCL) that Eastern have in the past toyed with a NCL-MME-LCY service (presumably on a J41). Apparently, part of this was in conjunction with OneNorthEast, but it never took off. Now that the LHR link has gone, could this perhaps be in contention again? Subsidised perhaps?
Finally, the Excelsis thing has to be a kid on a school project. No chance of this happening. More likely to see a frequency to Stansted or Luton with FR/U2 or a Gatwick service with BE. Which is even less likely.
RTG!
Join Date: Aug 2002
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Eastern flew NCL-LCY and gave up when the cheap introductory fees at the London end were up. Too hard to make money on the J41 out of LCY. As for whetever MME is these days, it's not going to happen.