PASSENGER numbers at Durham Tees Valley Airport dropped again in the last year, while Newcastle Airport saw a slight rise in the number of people using its services.

Figures released by the Civil Aviation Authority showed passenger numbers for Durham Tees Valley in June this year were 13,771 - a loss of more than 1,000 people, or a 7.3 per cent drop, on the same month last year.

In the year up to June, the airport served 162,727 passengers.

In comparison, Newcastle Airport increased its passenger numbers by 1.2 per cent to 488,442 in June this year and has served a total 4,387,443 passengers in the year to date.

Durham Tees Valley’s Aberdeen route has continued to grow, with almost 3,000 passengers using the service last month, but its flights to Jersey, Palma in Mallorca and Amsterdam saw a drop in numbers.

Steve Gill, director of Durham Tees Valley Airport, said: “Obviously we are still operating in very challenging business climate but we remain committed to working with our partners to secure the future of the airport and its contribution to the local economy.”