A COUNCIL leader has spoken of the “absolutely critical” importance of developing business flight routes from an airport.

Darlington Borough Council leader Councillor Bill Dixon said while it was hoped to attract flights for holiday-makers to Durham Tees Valley Airport (DTVA), the importance of “soft connectivity” for traders in the Tees Valley must not be under-estimated.

He told a full meeting of the authority flights to Schipol Airport, near Amsterdam – which in 2015 had 58 million passengers, making it the world’s fifth busiest airport – were vital to the success of DTVA.

Councillor Dixon said the airport’s link to Schipol had served to bring to Darlington firms such as engines manufacturer Cummins Incorporated, which in 2017 had sales of $20.4 billion.

He said: “If we could get some holiday flights that would be a bonus, but let’s not kid ourselves, the route that matters there, the killer route, is KLM and Amsterdam because that connects our businesses not just with Europe, but with the rest of the world from Schipol.

“Our businesses could go anywhere.

“A couple of years ago we received a visit from the owner of Cummins Engines.

“One of the reasons he came here was because his vice-chairman popped over on his way back from Beijing, flying through Schipol. On a journey like that it is just literally round the corner.

“Holiday destinations would be very welcome, but it is the business routes that are absolutely critical.”

Last month the Tees Valley Combined Authority – led by the region’s five Labour council leaders – agreed to invest £500,000 of public money into the airport to help Peel develop new routes and improve terminal facilities.

But Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen, who must sign off the payment, vowed to veto the funding, saying it was about time Peel “stuck their hands in their own pockets rather than going cap in hand to rate payers”.

Darlington’s Conservative group leader Councillor Heather Scott told the council meeting that all the representatives of councils on the Tees Valley Combined Authority shared the same view of Peel, which has pledged to keep the airport open until at least 2021 and recently revealed airline Loganair had quit the airport, having shelved its remaining Aberdeen flights.

Councillor Dixon replied: “It was never the intention to give Peel a penny.

“Peel asked for money, yes, and Peel may think they are going to get money.

“But the intention was always to have the capacity within the Tees Valley Combined Authority because I am not 100 per cent convinced that our all has been done that could be done to bring new routes to that airport.”