DURHAM TEES VALLEY AIRPORT - 5

[N707ZS]

Thats probably right Humberside, no staff as they have been cut back. Still no snow at the moment.

[Get me some traffic]

Not too many years ago, Teesside had the second highest number of diversions in after Birmingham and very few diversions out. Not once but for several years.

[highwideandugly]

DTV-the saga continues

Really is past a laughing matter...another day another almost blanc flying programme.This time exploding runway lights!!! This really is becoming(if not already) a joke airport.VAS/Peel must be pulling their hair out..whatever next.
Having said that..its really all their fault.No investment,lack of staff,low moral and as a result an airport whose reputation must be in tatters.

Get me some traffic is right..DTV(sorry Teesside) once had an enviable reputation as a diversion airport...but now?? Which airlines can seriously consider using them.One problem after another ,some natural some mis managed?
where do we go from here to get a reputation back? Its pretty galling watching all those diverts over the top into Newcastle when ,with the right structure we could have.

What next..any ideas?? anyone ???

[Piltdown Man]

Appears KLM were planning once again to up the frequency to 4 a day, they hold a slot for an later mid-morning flight (KL1532) to Amsterdam around 1020 but no return slot.

KLM don't need a slot. AMS is not overloaded and they will go whenever there is money to be made. Whether or not they can use their aircraft more profitably is another question.

PM

[papa oscar]

highwideandugly, you are such an idiot and your last post proves it. The runway lighting was recently upgraded at a huge cost to Peel by a company that specialises in airfield lighting and, as such, has contracts world wide. These are the people to blame for today's lack of movements.

The problems experienced today were no fault of Peel or any of their staff. If anything the staff at DTVA sorted out the issues and got the place back up and running ASAP.
You obviously have no experience of running an airport and sit there in your armchair with sod all better to do than post pathetic comments on here.

At the end of the day, it's their (Peel/VAS) business and what they do with it is up to them. Yes, the local council hold a share but they are like you, have no idea about running an airport.

Oh, and just in case you are wondering, no I don't work at or for Peel/VAS, I work at a number of airports/airfields.

[Mike Tee]

Hello all, the current problem with the Lights was reported on another Forum as "Runway Center Line Lights" which has me puzzled as I didn't think that DTV had Centre Line Lights. Anyone know if inn fact this is the case.

[N707ZS]

They have had centre line lights for about ten years.

[highwideandugly]

Merry Xmas

to you Papa Oscar !! Sorry if I upset you,
however the facts are there..the airport is now a shambles.No one is blaming the staff..as always they are the sufferers in all this.Underfunded and undervalued.I really would like to know the business plan for VAS/Peel/council now..its one PR disaster after another..

Name me another major UK airport that has been closed as much over the last 12 months..co-incidence or what ? 24 hours to replace some lights where was the manpower provided by VAS..surely outside contractors could have been brought in to assist the local guys?

OK I dont know much about running airports but if my business operated like that then I would have grave concerns.

[Mike Tee]

Thanks N707ZS I didn't know that, but it does beg the question, if they managed without Center Line lights prior 10 years ago it does seem strange that they had to shut down the airport for best part of a day to repair lights which they operated without before.

[N707ZS]

I believe the ice actually broke the fittings shearing steel bolts and also covering the runway with debris when they broke. The temperature was about minus 8 all day so it must of been hard to replace what they did.
Someone more in the know might correct me.

[papa oscar]

N707ZS, in short that's what happened. The temperatures overnight reached -20 deg C which caused the water under the light fitting to expand and push the light fitting upwards. The lights have a surrounding cover plate which due to the forces caused the glass fittings to shatter against the cover plates. The cover plate securing screws were also damaged so they could not easily be refitted.

The runway was closed due to the safety hazards associated with the loose centreline lighting. The staff at DTV did managed to get the runway open with a reduced distance whilst the repairs were in progress which does show that DTV do have some pro-active staff.

So now having the full facts, you may be able to appreciate how the staff do their utmost to keep the place running. Would you want to be out working in the middle of the runway with temperatures down to -10 deg C; thought not!!!

[Mike Tee]

Thanks for the info Papa Oscar, I agree it must of been a right bugger of a job and all credit to the staff. As for working outside in minus 10, well there are a few of us who do have that sort of experience, not on a runway but 100 feet up in Chemical Plant pipe racks, middle of the night and blowing a blizard, no I wouldn't want to be doing it !!!

[idlejack]

Ryanair

MME appears to have been completely removed from the Ryanair website.

[neil_2008]

mmm, that is interesting. Another airline pulling out?

[Jamie2k9]

Ryanair have pulled out.

[DTVAirport]

I bet if you worked it out the loss of Ryanair will probably cost the airport a similar amount of money to what the PFF is making them.

If it was me, I'd have done a secret deal with Ryanair to make their passengers exempt from the fee.

[mmeman]

I have to agree DTV. So come on VAS/Peel, what are you going to do now to replace those passengers that would have used the airport?

Ryanair were going to fly the route 5 a week, an increase of the 3 a week last year.. I would hazard a guess they might have even done Tenerife and Faro as per DSA?

That is Ryanair and Aer Lingus lost this summer compared to a very poor summer last year anyway.

There are people that want to fly from MME and can't and don't want to fly from anywhere else but have no choice.

I can't see the VAS investment in Peel has done anything for the airport whatsoever and in fact it has jsut made things worse.

[DTVAirport]

Rumour has it we're still under Peel control & not VAS, despite all the fancy percentages etc.

Despite a fear of sounding like a typical pre-25 yr old ppruner I don't mind saying I've been told of four routes in the pipeline but have been told in confidence. Two we're already aware of so I'll share those - Larnaca & Paphos with Monarch apparantly still in the pipeline (VAS connection, which contradicts my 1st paragraph but hey ho), the third I'm supremely skeptical about & the fourth is possible I suppose but no idea who would operate it.

[pug]

Do you honestly think hes gunning for it???

[N707ZS]

Any takers for the Alicante route then?

Six pounds each doesn't seem much now against the price of petrol and parking or getting a friend to do a double trip to another airport.