HUGE strides have been made at Teesside International Airport in 2021.

In 2020 the airport secured key airlines and set out its further transformative plans.

Now, as 2021 – and the airport’s 80th birthday – draws to a close, here are some of the most significant moments of the year.

 

  • New details of the terminal building’s multimillion-pound redevelopment were revealed, with new arrivals and check-in areas, state-of-the-art security scanners, new bars, cafes and shops plus luxury lounges created.

 

  • Loganair, the UK’s biggest regional airline, launched its Teesside to London Heathrow service, connecting the region with the capital and onward global locations. It also added Dublin and Southampton to its list of destinations.

 

  • Loganair secured ticketing arrangements with some of the world’s biggest airlines, including BA, Emirates, United Airlines and Qatar Airways, to fly internationally from Teesside on one ticket, without the need to recheck bags.

 

  • Teesside Airport celebrated its 80th birthday after being born in January 1941 when the airfield for the World War Two bomber base, then named RAF Middleton St George, was opened.

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  • Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen called on local people to have their say in the name of the terminal’s new bar. The Goosepool, one of the airport’s former names, was the winner.

 

  • The airport teamed up with Darlington fashion boutique House of Zana and beauty salon Rejoy to open their new store in the terminal. Other local partnerships include Revelry Gin and Polyester in Saltburn and its Forsocksake sock range.

 

  • The airport began working with local charities Alice House Hospice, Great North Air Ambulance and Boro’s MFC Foundation to look at fundraising and support opportunities.

 

  • An airport hangar became the stage for the premiere of Steel and Iron, a new play celebrating the region’s rich industrial heritage.

 

  • As the airport grew, a recruitment drive saw 53 good-quality jobs created this year, with new starters returning to their local airport from Manchester Airport and Heathrow.

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  • After an eight-year absence, a duty-free shop is now back open and operating at Teesside, thanks to a 12-year deal with World Duty Free.

 

  • Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 carrier, launched summer sun flights to Alicante, Corfu, Faro in Portugal and Majorca in 2021, expanding Alicante to year-round and committing to a summer 2022 schedule following strong sales.

 

  • Local firm Kromek trialled a groundbreaking coronavirus detector in the terminal. It can identify trace levels of Covid-19 within 30 minutes, helping protect passengers’ health and pilot the machine ahead of a wider rollout.

 

  • Mr Houchen established the Teesside Airport Foundation, a new independent charitable trust that means the airport cannot be sold without support in a public referendum. The trust will focus on education, employment, welfare and regeneration in Tees Valley.

 

  • TUI, the world’s leading holiday company, launched summer 2022 flights to Antalya, Turkey, joining its previously announced breaks to Majorca.

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  • As part of the region’s status as the UK’s first hydrogen hub, trials of hydrogen powered vehicles - including an airport-towing ground support tug - took place to show how they can be quick and easy to drive and refuel.

 

  • KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has brought forward the time of its connection from Teesside to Amsterdam Schiphol, making it even more appealing, and has committed to make it earlier next year.

 

  • In response to the pressures of the coronavirus pandemic and its temporary closure, the airport received £10million in funding from the Tees Valley Combined Authority, as its revised business plan forecast it would turn a profit in the next three years – two ahead of schedule.

The Northern Echo:

  • Plans were revealed for a new two-floor Sky Bar and viewing platform landside in the terminal building, to replace the old outdoor lookout point.

 

  • The Teesside Freeport, which includes the airport, was given the green light, so businesses based there will be able to take advantage of flexible duty and import procedures, attracting more in the process.

 

  • The Bannatyne Group revealed it is opening a luxury spa in the departures lounge, offering a range of 15 to 30-minute treatments, following a £100,000 investment.

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