Durham Tees Valley Airport up for sale (From The Advertiser Series)
Send us your pictures, video, news and views by texting NORTHERN ECHO to 80360 or email us
Durham Tees Valley Airport up for sale
11:40am Wednesday 14th December 2011 in News
Up for sale: Durham Tees Valley Airport
STRUGGLING Durham Tees Valley Airport has been put up for sale this lunchtime.
Peel Airports Limited has made the announcement today saying the airport "no longer fits its strategic plans".
In a statement, Peel said: "Peel Airports Limited has decided to sell the majority shareholding it holds in Durham Tees Valley Airport.
"As a consequence, PwC have been appointed to actively seek a buyer for these shares and to oversee any subsequent sale process.
"Peel Airports has made this decision as Durham Tees Valley Airport no longer fits within the company’s strategic plans for its portfolio of airports.
"Durham Tees Valley Airport will continue to operate as normal during this process with passengers due to travel over the coming weeks and employees based at the Airport unaffected by this decision. "
Peel Airports, which also runs Liverpool John Lennon and Robin Hood, at Doncaster, owns 75 per cent of the airport, with the six local authorities owning the remaining 25 per cent.
Stockton South MP James Wharton said: “Peel have a track record, having presided over the closure of Sheffield Airport which has since been turned into an industrial estate, we must ensure our local airport cannot be cast aside in the same way.
“When I raised concerns about the airport’s future earlier this week Peel refused to comment; now it is clear they have been planning this for some time.
“We want a vibrant and successful airport, Peel have failed to deliver that but it is important they are not allowed to cut and run. It is time for new investment and for the future success of this important facility to be taken seriously.”
Councillor Doris Jones, Darlington Borough councillor for Middleton St George, said: “People will be worried that it could become an industrial estate or even housing, we need urgent assurances that this is not going to happen.”
Today's announcement comes just days after the airport demanded the six local councils which hold a total 25 per cent share of the airport, for more funds or face a reduction in their shareholdings. It prompted fears the airport could close.
The airport has been plagued by the departure of many of its operators during the past five years. As a result, passenger numbers have dropped since 2006 when they peaked at 917,963 to a 35-year-low last year. Vancouver, which bought a controlling share in Peel Airports only 18 months ago, said increasing figures was one of its priorities since it came in.
Last year a £6 passenger facility fee was introduced in a bid to save it from closure and help to reduce losses.
In July, director Mike Morton left to “pursue new challenges”. He was replaced in September by Steve Gill.
Comments(34)
David Lacey
says...
12:24pm Wed 14 Dec 11
swissball
says...
12:28pm Wed 14 Dec 11
Dean M
says...
12:41pm Wed 14 Dec 11
swissball wrote:Yes, this says it all. I agree with you, I think many local people would use it but it has to be at the right price and, more importantly, you have to be able to fly somewhere!
It was only a question of time! Nobody uses it, I live in Darlington and I'm flying to Tunisia next Wednesday from Newcastle, I would have loved to fly from Teesside airport, says it all really!
chrisby33
says...
12:50pm Wed 14 Dec 11
i just thank god that the local councils didn't give in to there earlier demands for more "investment money"
as the only place this money was going was to the boards back pockets and pension funds.
Jaga
says...
12:55pm Wed 14 Dec 11
If the airport cannot provide the flights, people cannot use it. I prefer DTV Airport as KLM can normally take me to wherever I want to go. No long haul down to Heathrow or Gatwick – or even Manchester. Unless airlines can be brought in, DTV is, as Private Fraser would say, “Doomed”. I will miss the airport when the inevitable closure comes.
MrMorden
says...
1:26pm Wed 14 Dec 11
MST75
says...
1:35pm Wed 14 Dec 11
Chloe 123
says...
3:20pm Wed 14 Dec 11
Old Bogeyes
says...
3:46pm Wed 14 Dec 11
gramps427
says...
4:28pm Wed 14 Dec 11
We need someone to bring in long haul flights to the BRIC countries as well as the usual holiday flights if we are ever to change the fortunes of our communities. Talk to the Chinese Airlines and look to link up with rail travel around the country; almost as quick as reaching the centre of London from Heathrow. There is no reason why Newcastle should prosper alone; we need all our political leaders Jenny included to bring this place to life.
gramps427
says...
4:28pm Wed 14 Dec 11
We need someone to bring in long haul flights to the BRIC countries as well as the usual holiday flights if we are ever to change the fortunes of our communities. Talk to the Chinese Airlines and look to link up with rail travel around the country; almost as quick as reaching the centre of London from Heathrow. There is no reason why Newcastle should prosper alone; we need all our political leaders Jenny included to bring this place to life.
stevegg
says...
5:43pm Wed 14 Dec 11
Squid1
says...
5:49pm Wed 14 Dec 11
gary123 wrote:Unbelievable !! Some of the quotes on here just show how uneducated people can be. Close the place....and increase the size of the dole queue..genius !! How about this, lets see if someone can turn the place around and put it back on the map like it used to be. Bring back the flights and increase the revenue, build the airport for the future. Lets see the locals show a bit of respect and not blame "the airport" for the problems which have arisen from bad management.
Champion!
Move the football club, arts centre, civic theatre, council depot, and new sainsburys store there- sorted!
spragger
says...
6:10pm Wed 14 Dec 11
Its like anything in the NE has a death wish attached to it.
Unless its spending taxpayers money
ilexuk
says...
6:21pm Wed 14 Dec 11
wy did u not help out with the poor bus and train time table,,,
,,,,,its a total joke,,,,
,more like u dont like the Noisy Neighbour,,.
lets see who votes for u next time ,,
xcta
says...
6:29pm Wed 14 Dec 11
OldAnth
says...
6:34pm Wed 14 Dec 11
OldAnth
says...
6:34pm Wed 14 Dec 11
kendizx9r
says...
7:17pm Wed 14 Dec 11
So what could the land be used for that might put some money back in the region, how about a motor race circuit it has the land for it and noise should not be a problem there are major roads and rail service to it and could always double up as an exhibition centre like the nec, you could always use one of the runways for private use to get to the facilities maybe a dragon would step in then.
p.s this might sound like pie in the sky but nothing much else is getting of the ground.
always right
says...
7:45pm Wed 14 Dec 11
pilchrat
says...
7:58pm Wed 14 Dec 11
I'm sure when planning where to travel on holiday from, one might choose an airport which has a train that stops there!
http://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/Teesside_Ai
rport_railway_statio
n
What a JOKE! lol
capt manners
says...
8:34pm Wed 14 Dec 11
MSG
says...
10:23pm Wed 14 Dec 11
Plant a new Tees Valley forrest on the old airport runways and transform the terminal into a superstore.
melwilson
says...
11:25pm Wed 14 Dec 11
capt manners wrote:Too right!!!
Middleton St George parish council should hang there heads in shame. The amount of obstacles and objections they have put in the way of this airport developing.
Old Bogeyes
says...
1:44am Thu 15 Dec 11
capt manners wrote:bogeyes @@ says your wrong. msg parish council,or any other parish council can object or place "obstacles" in the way of whatever they want,but they are a powerless waste of space,they have no more say on these maters than the WI does. These parish cretins are just wannabe busy body's,just plain idiots with too much time on their hands !.
Middleton St George parish council should hang there heads in shame. The amount of obstacles and objections they have put in the way of this airport developing.
John Justice
says...
7:44am Thu 15 Dec 11
johnny_p
says...
10:23am Thu 15 Dec 11
capt manners wrote:Absolutely! I remember when all the local NIMBYs did their best to stop it becoming a huge air cargo hub. And now they're all crying because it's closing. Beggars belief!
Middleton St George parish council should hang there heads in shame. The amount of obstacles and objections they have put in the way of this airport developing.
Squid1
says...
9:41pm Thu 15 Dec 11
always right wrote:Retard.....
oh,i forgot to say goodbye to the ignorent,useless staff,and happy xmas to you all...lol.
Old Bogeyes
says...
11:35pm Thu 15 Dec 11
Squid1 wrote:lol,,,i guess you are one of the useless airports ignorent and useless member of staff,,,,,,,,,,im so happy its finished,oh i forgot,your going to be finished aswell......lol. happy xmas.....lmao.
always right wrote: oh,i forgot to say goodbye to the ignorent,useless staff,and happy xmas to you all...lol.Retard.....
Mooochas
says...
11:01am Fri 16 Dec 11
Old Bogeyes wrote:another retard ...with a broken keyboard ...or an index finger stutter ;o) roflmfao
Squid1 wrote:lol,,,i guess you are one of the useless airports ignorent and useless member of staff,,,,,,,,,,im so happy its finished,oh i forgot,your going to be finished aswell......lol. happy xmas.....lmao.always right wrote: oh,i forgot to say goodbye to the ignorent,useless staff,and happy xmas to you all...lol.Retard.....
Old Bogeyes
says...
2:56pm Sat 17 Dec 11
johnny_p
says...
6:16pm Sat 17 Dec 11
Old Bogeyes wrote:It's not "all the staff". Mainly just security staff there who have a well known reputation for being as rude, difficult and obstructive as possible.
lol,,,well it wont be too bad for the ex airport staff when they have to go begging at the job centre,,because the staff in there are just as ignorent !. Should be a happy place for them,all muppets in one big muppet house,,,lol. Im loving this i am ;-)
I'd like to know where the airport managers are. I've never seen them. Liverpool I guess?
johnny_p
says...
6:18pm Sat 17 Dec 11
http://www.peel.co.u
k/activities/airport
s
Looks like Teesside is doing quite well eh?
gary123 says...
12:14pm Wed 14 Dec 11
Move the football club, arts centre, civic theatre, council depot, and new sainsburys store there- sorted!