It's hard to believe just how quickly the market in air fares has changed in this country. Through a combination of legislation, inertia and customer powerlessness, fares stayed artificially high, but how things have changed!

It's probably the power and immediacy of the internet which has changed things too, and, if you don't already do it regularly, it's well worth learning your way around airline, and other, websites to grab the bargains. It's all about grasping the moment, though, because prices can often changed on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis.

For example, currently Ryanair has just announced a £10 reduction on all return fares originating from the UK. In our patch, this means there are some even sharper fares available if you fancy a trip to Dublin from Teesside. You have to be quick; the offer is open now until midnight on Monday (May 26th), but travel can be taken anytime between June and October. See www.ryanair.com for more details.

British Midland, too, are now much more flexible and allow you to book up to May of 2004. That word "flexible" is key for you as a traveller. If you are planning a Teesside/Heathrow trip, play around on www.flybmi.com and you'll find that changing the time or date of your flights slightly can result in big savings.

With more destinations and operators coming into Teesside later in the year, things have rarely looked rosier for local travellers. At last, flights are becoming something everyone can enjoy and, remember, it works both ways. Easy, and cheap, access to our patch will work wonders for tourism and business alike.

Published: 26/05/2003