AN airline has promised to deliver more services for North-East flyers after marking a milestone.

Air France-KLM says it flew more than 500,000 passengers from Newcastle Airport last year.

The group provides daily services from the region to hubs at Paris’ Charles De Gaulle Airport and Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, which allow people to connect to other flights.

Warner Rootliep, general manager of Air France-KLM UK and Ireland, said the company is delighted with its Newcastle relationship.

He said: “We have a strong presence in Newcastle and the milestone reflects growing customer demand, with bookings strong for the next quarter.

“We are committed to giving travellers even greater flexibility and the widest choice of medium and long-haul destinations.

“Serving Newcastle helps us maintain our strong competitive position in the UK.

“Our services to Amsterdam and Paris, connecting Newcastle to our 316 destinations in 115 countries around the world, allows local businesses to trade globally.

“We look forward to celebrating more milestones in Newcastle and the wider region.”

Leon McQuaid, Newcastle Airport’s aviation development manager, added: “This is a remarkable number of passengers.

“We have built up an excellent working relationship with Air France-KLM and both routes are of huge significance to the region for both business and leisure travellers.

“We look forward to further growth.”