AN airline could increase services from a North-East airport, The Northern Echo can reveal.

KLM says it is looking at plans to expand flights across its regional UK network, which would include Durham Tees Valley Airport (DTVA).

The firm operates daily services from DTVA to Amsterdam, a link airport bosses previously hailed as intrinsic to the site’s future.

The Dutch connection, alongside separate flights to Aberdeen, has taken over from holiday charter services, and offers passengers a path to the Schiphol hub to transfer to international trips.

Warner Rootliep, Air France-KLM’s general manager for the UK and Ireland, said it was keen to explore the possibilities of increasing flights from smaller airports.

He told The Northern Echo said: “Our extensive regional UK network is the backbone of our medium-haul operations and we are happy with the results of these routes.

“We have no plan to downsize and are actually looking at increasing frequencies and/or capacity for the winter schedule 2015 as well as enhancing our products.”

The National Connectivity Task Force (NCTF) previously claimed DTVA could be at risk if KLM began cutting shorter flights in favour of long-haul routes, particularly if Schiphol becomes closer to full capacity.

Mr Rootliep revealed the company is looking at ways to make changes, which could include its UK bases, but said any moves would not impact on its services, known as Cityhopper.

He added: “Airfrance-KLM is implementing its Perform 2020 plan, and a part of that is to focus on further improvements in competitiveness and efficiency.

“KLM Cityhopper is also investigating ways to reach further efficiencies.

“A review of the number of crew bases in the UK is part of these investigations, and this has been shared with its UK-based crews.

“However, these investigations have no impact on the route network Cityhopper operates in the UK.

“The planned schedule for winter 2015 will show a slight increase of seat capacity on the UK routes of Cityhopper.”

Last year, Peter Nears, DTVA’s strategic planning director, reiterated the importance of Amsterdam flights to the airport.

The site saw its daily BMI service to Heathrow end in 2009, and the NCTF has said DTVA could benefit from slots at an expanded Heathrow, which is battling Gatwick for a new runway.

However, despite the potential capital link, Mr Nears was keen to highlight the importance of Schiphol.

He said: “We are fighting to get access to Heathrow, but we also need to jealously guard our Amsterdam link.

“We can’t endanger that, it is incredibly important to us.”