CUT-PRICE airline Ryanair has raised hopes that it could soon add a European destination to its flights from Teesside.

The Irish company said there were plans to boost services from the North-East.

Visiting Teesside Airport yesterday, its deputy chief executive Michael Cawley said: "I would be amazed if we don't see a new route into this area from continental Europe in the next 18 months.

"Newcastle has been the most successful launch of a route from the UK that we have ever done and Teesside is not far behind that. There is a huge appetite for low-cost fares here and we wouldn't want to go anywhere else when we can be successful here."

Ryanair operates daily flights to Dublin from both Newcastle and Teesside. It also has destinations in Milan, Stockholm, Brussels and Frankfurt on its European roster.

The company announced earlier this year that it was doubling its mainstay Dublin flights from one to two a day from Newcastle airport.

Ryanair expects this year to have flown 400,000 passengers on its Dublin-to-Teesside route since it began in March 1997.

Mr Cawley said Ryanair welcomed a £20m link up between Teesside Airport and Peel Holdings, announced earlier this year.

Manchester-based Peel runs the Liverpool John Lennon airport, Ryanair's first English destination. He said: "We have a long standing relationship with Peel and are delighted that they are getting involved here at Teesside."

Teesside Airport managing director Hugh Lang said: "We are more than happy to be working closely with Ryanair.

"There is a range of opportunities for us to connect to their hubs and we have discussions with them on this on a continual basis."

* Ryanair is again offering 3,000 seats for £9.99 to Dublin from Teesside for travel between April 25 and June 25. The offer only runs until midnight on Thursday. Log on to www.ryanair.com to book.