LOW-cost airline bmibaby is being taken to task for highlighting the attractions of Newcastle and Gateshead as reasons for flying to Teesside Airport in its December in-flight magazine.

As controversy continues to rage over the proposed airport name change to Durham Tees Valley, the magazine says, under Teesside: "You'll never be stuck for something to do in Newcastle/Gateshead."

It highlights landmarks such as the Angel of the North and the Tyne Bridge, the Baltic Centre and the Gateshead Millennium Bridge.

At the end of a separate guide to Teesside Airport, it lists useful contacts in the area as Newcastle and Gateshead tourist information, York tourist information centre and - at the end - Darlington Chamber of Commerce.

Richard Whitehouse, the airport's marketing manager, said: "We are addressing this from our end. It was the airline that put it together, we are aware of what it says and we have flagged it up but we can't do anything until the next magazine in March."

Claire Allen, from bmibaby, said "We obviously want to promote the North to people trying to access Teesside. There was no intention of minimising the importance of Teesside. The information in the next one will change."

David Lyonette, a Darlington borough councillor who is chairman of the airport consultative committee and serves on the Northumbria Tourist Board, said: "It looks as if somebody has dropped a clanger."

* As from this weekend, bmibaby will serve Geneva weekly from its Teesside and Manchester bases for the first time.