DURHAM TEES VALLEY AIRPORT - 4
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Middlesbrough U.K.
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<Doubt whether many people outside the UK know where Middlesbrough is.>
I wouldn't suggest Middlesbrough in the title but how about
Teesside International Airport. Let the wheel turn.
I wouldn't suggest Middlesbrough in the title but how about
Teesside International Airport. Let the wheel turn.
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Teesside
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If I recall correctly, the name was changed mainly at the behest of long gone BMIbaby, to attract inbound passengers to this area by providing a known point of reference, something I believe Ryanair aren’t averse to doing. If any non UK residents look at a map of this country there’s no way they’d find any reference to Teesside or Cleveland, simply because they don’t exist as such. Neither does Tyneside, Severnside, or Merseyside, but the actual cities within these regions are clearly identifiable and their airports are similarly named.
From an outsider’s point of view, all aspects of marketing MME and its facilities needs a major shake up as the current people appear clueless, lacking even a basic understanding of the word, having lived in a cocoon of constant underachievement for far too long. Any business worth its salt should know what its customers want, particularly when there are around 1 million already coming through the doors. MME could make a start by actually consulting people to determine the likely demand for new routes. What’s wrong with promoting and organising an informal public Q&A session, or an airport open day, where people can actually ask questions about what’s supposed to be happening, and for MME to get some proper feedback on what customers want? It’s not difficult if the determination and ability are there.
The current ‘can’t do’ management also need to stop kidding themselves that the terminal, etc. is unable to cope with any further passenger increases and take a hard look at some of the huge long running gaps in the timetables. I’d have thought that another 20-40 flights a week could be handled now, but they possess neither the drive nor the ability to actually approach operators armed with an aggressive business strategy or supporting hard facts obtained from customer feedback. The frequently used MME line that ‘we’re constantly talking to operators about opening new routes’ is beginning to look a bit well worn because after 40 odd years, tangible results indicate otherwise.
From an outsider’s point of view, all aspects of marketing MME and its facilities needs a major shake up as the current people appear clueless, lacking even a basic understanding of the word, having lived in a cocoon of constant underachievement for far too long. Any business worth its salt should know what its customers want, particularly when there are around 1 million already coming through the doors. MME could make a start by actually consulting people to determine the likely demand for new routes. What’s wrong with promoting and organising an informal public Q&A session, or an airport open day, where people can actually ask questions about what’s supposed to be happening, and for MME to get some proper feedback on what customers want? It’s not difficult if the determination and ability are there.
The current ‘can’t do’ management also need to stop kidding themselves that the terminal, etc. is unable to cope with any further passenger increases and take a hard look at some of the huge long running gaps in the timetables. I’d have thought that another 20-40 flights a week could be handled now, but they possess neither the drive nor the ability to actually approach operators armed with an aggressive business strategy or supporting hard facts obtained from customer feedback. The frequently used MME line that ‘we’re constantly talking to operators about opening new routes’ is beginning to look a bit well worn because after 40 odd years, tangible results indicate otherwise.
Join Date: Feb 2005
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DB5 You make some valid points :-
I couldn't have put it better myself. It is however their arrogance that gets me, the naming issue is typical, it has been the subject of sporadic postings on this thread for some time & no doubt will continue to do so. The basic issue is that for some reason those at the airport appear embarrassed that 'their little airport' should be directly associated with the three major centers of business that it was created to serve back in the mid 60's. If they can't live with the reputations of Middlesbrough, Darlington & Stockton then they should get off their ars* and go elsewhere, because that's what inversely this name issue suggests. The airport should be promoting the region & not 'hiding' from it. Trying to put one over on the competition in an attempt to pull in 'Durham' was never going to work. Again looking at this from another angle, then presumably Durham is also trying to promote itself to the outside world & perhaps residents there are becoming a little concerned that the only perceived access by air is from a small airport stuck in the 'Tees Valley'...... Where!??
It has all become one great big bl**dy mess !
current people appear clueless, lacking even a basic understanding of the word, having lived in a cocoon of constant underachievement for far too long.
It has all become one great big bl**dy mess !
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Near MME, England, UK
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I've read part of the article in todays Northern Echo regarding Ryanair not turning up for the first Alicante flight, one good thing is that the Northern Echo makes it clear that it's the airlines fault and not the airports fault. What's more alarming however is it states "29" passengers turned up for the non-existant flight - is it a case of there was a total of 29 pax booked on the flight, or was there more and Ryanair told most of them except the 29?
Join Date: Nov 2006
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Keep reading the article DTVAirport...
Full flight - good stuff, sounds encouraging, long may it last!
Peter Sherrard, for the airline, said: "Due to a minor technical fault during the changeover of the Ryanair website, 29 of the 189 passengers booked to travel from Durham Tees Valley to Alicante did not receive a schedule change notice, moving their flight departure from today to March 6. Ryanair sincerely apologises for this mistake.
Join Date: Nov 2006
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Pass.
However, ALC was 86% in august 07 (albeit shared with TOM and JKK). Given that they are twice weekly this year and not once daily like last year, I'd have thought the capacity will be roughly the same given the FR B738, so there should be enough to go round???
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To add to that, what's the charter like for ALC this year?
However, ALC was 86% in august 07 (albeit shared with TOM and JKK). Given that they are twice weekly this year and not once daily like last year, I'd have thought the capacity will be roughly the same given the FR B738, so there should be enough to go round???
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To add to that, what's the charter like for ALC this year?
Join Date: Jul 2004
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Or Thornaby West And Teesside South? 
Good to see that the Northern Echo has clarified that the airport was not at fault for the RYR change - it's easy for Joe Public to turn around and say "I'm never flying from MME again, look what happened last time" in a situation like that. Not saying that won't still happen, however at least it's been pointed out that it was the airline's "fault".
Incidentally, if 189 passengers were on the flight, then why would RYR cancel? Lack of available aircraft? Surely not!
-HD-
Good to see that the Northern Echo has clarified that the airport was not at fault for the RYR change - it's easy for Joe Public to turn around and say "I'm never flying from MME again, look what happened last time" in a situation like that. Not saying that won't still happen, however at least it's been pointed out that it was the airline's "fault".
Incidentally, if 189 passengers were on the flight, then why would RYR cancel? Lack of available aircraft? Surely not!
-HD-
Join Date: Jul 2003
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As far as I know there are less flights to Alicante this summer compared to last summer even with the extra 3 Ryanair flights. Whether that is true in seat terms I'm not sure though.
Join Date: Aug 2007
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Where's Middlesbrough?
I really think that Middlesbrough has a higher recognition factor in Europe,the Near East ,the Far East and Africa in fact anywhere that watches professional football, than Durham. Like it or not Premiership Football is watched throughout the world and Middlesbrough Football Club have employed footballers from all of the above. Durham may be a cultural mecca for those who like cathedrals but the mass recognition factor goes to Middlesbrough.
P.S. run Ray Mallon through google and see what happens. Robocop is regarded as a demigod in certain parts of the good ol USA and they all know where Middlesbrough is.
P.S. run Ray Mallon through google and see what happens. Robocop is regarded as a demigod in certain parts of the good ol USA and they all know where Middlesbrough is.
Join Date: Aug 2007
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Which only goes to show that Middlesbrough and it's celebrities have a higher profile than those from the Durham Tees Valley wherever that is.
As for Teesside not being mentioned on any map I think that you will be hard pushed to find any area called the Tees Valley either. It just goes to show how out of touch Peel Holdings were when they rebranded the airport.The most famous person I can find from the spurious area which the airport is named after is Nicholas Wright. No not really a household name but he happens to be the Bishop of Durham. To follow the trend, even he dosen't live in Durham but in Aukland Palace in Bishop Auckland. Thank you Peel Holdings for your marvelous groundwork before you named the airport and for your miserable efforts to run an airport since.
As for Teesside not being mentioned on any map I think that you will be hard pushed to find any area called the Tees Valley either. It just goes to show how out of touch Peel Holdings were when they rebranded the airport.The most famous person I can find from the spurious area which the airport is named after is Nicholas Wright. No not really a household name but he happens to be the Bishop of Durham. To follow the trend, even he dosen't live in Durham but in Aukland Palace in Bishop Auckland. Thank you Peel Holdings for your marvelous groundwork before you named the airport and for your miserable efforts to run an airport since.
Join Date: May 2006
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Looking back over the many past posts i think we have to just accept the name and move on, i cant see what else there is to say on the name front, it appears to be final and short of us going out and changing the incorrect signs ourselves then we have to accept the slowness of the changeover too on the roads around the airport.
Paarmo i agree the business decisions taken dont look to have been the best, credit where credit is due the gap by baby was filled quick but i think really where the direction lies is with further building the momentum with Globespan and going all out for a bigger clutch of routes from Ryanair. I am not a fan of that airline but their fares do pull in the people who wouldnt normally travel from certain airports, you only have to look at their foreign bases to see some airports jump from virtually no passengers to having more than MME all due to them alone.
There are many destinations which arent served by anyone in the North East or Yorkshire which if pitched right Ryanair could win over the travelling public.
I cant see many other airlines coming into DTV although Wizz was a surprise welcome - i agree with the posts on MME possibly being a 70-100 seater airport at max but in that space there arent too many options, BE would be the obvious choice but they seem to expanding to the North of us and at Leeds - and i guess you could get RE to look at a couple of routes but if Ryanair did get it right with a few more routes (hopefully not just the existing spanish ones) then even their 189 seaters would get the numbers they need - we only need one airline to really help MME take off (if you pardon the expression!
)
Paarmo i agree the business decisions taken dont look to have been the best, credit where credit is due the gap by baby was filled quick but i think really where the direction lies is with further building the momentum with Globespan and going all out for a bigger clutch of routes from Ryanair. I am not a fan of that airline but their fares do pull in the people who wouldnt normally travel from certain airports, you only have to look at their foreign bases to see some airports jump from virtually no passengers to having more than MME all due to them alone.
There are many destinations which arent served by anyone in the North East or Yorkshire which if pitched right Ryanair could win over the travelling public.
I cant see many other airlines coming into DTV although Wizz was a surprise welcome - i agree with the posts on MME possibly being a 70-100 seater airport at max but in that space there arent too many options, BE would be the obvious choice but they seem to expanding to the North of us and at Leeds - and i guess you could get RE to look at a couple of routes but if Ryanair did get it right with a few more routes (hopefully not just the existing spanish ones) then even their 189 seaters would get the numbers they need - we only need one airline to really help MME take off (if you pardon the expression!
)
Join Date: Aug 2007
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I am realistic to understand that there is little chance to change the name of the airport back to Teesside but it is symptomatic of the thinking of the owners of the airport that they can ride roughshod over the overwhelming opinion in the area that the name change was unnecessaryand in fact confusing to the existing and prospective customer. Notwithstanding the cost on internal airport literature the costs to local authorities and other airports has been considerable and to what effect when even pilots who fly to the airport still call it by it's former name.It is just an example of the centralised thinking that we know how to run an airport without recourse to asking users of the airport what they want and responding to that.
Simple things like the chaotic decision to combine all parking through the same gate which ground the airport to a halt everytime a charter flight arrived at the airport.The barn like construction which is supposed to be an architect desigened waiting area airside,the staff airside on the catering side who refuse to supply plates for security reasons and so on.
The security photographs which delayed security clearance et al.
Some of these issues have now been resolved but only after months of delay and apparent indifference by the management.
Flying used to be a pleasureable experience and even with heightened security it still could be but this airport is first amongst equals to deny passengers this opportunity.
Sorry for the rant it is nerves waiting to see what the Middlesbrough v Cardiff City match brings later today.
Simple things like the chaotic decision to combine all parking through the same gate which ground the airport to a halt everytime a charter flight arrived at the airport.The barn like construction which is supposed to be an architect desigened waiting area airside,the staff airside on the catering side who refuse to supply plates for security reasons and so on.
The security photographs which delayed security clearance et al.
Some of these issues have now been resolved but only after months of delay and apparent indifference by the management.
Flying used to be a pleasureable experience and even with heightened security it still could be but this airport is first amongst equals to deny passengers this opportunity.
Sorry for the rant it is nerves waiting to see what the Middlesbrough v Cardiff City match brings later today.