OFFICIALS have denied that a controversial name change for Teesside Airport has postponed the announcement of new flight destinations.

Low cost airline bmibaby had been due to confirm its summer plans for Teesside, having already introduced three additional services, to Belfast, Malaga and Geneva.

But the announcement - thought to involve increasing the range and frequency of flights available - has been delayed, after initially being expected before Christmas.

It had been suggested that bmibaby was waiting for the outcome of a bid to change the name of Teesside Airport to Durham Tees Valley Airport before revealing its plans.

But this was flatly rejected last night by both the airline and the airport.

Five of the six local authority shareholders - Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council being the exception - voted last month for a name change, with the backing of bmibaby, its parent company bmi, KLM and Ryanair.

A bmibaby spokesman said: "It is nothing to do whatsoever with the name change.

"At the moment, we are sorting out schedules and will announce our plans in the next couple of weeks."

Airport spokesman John Waiting said: "There has been nothing untoward about the delay."

Bmi chief executive Austin Reid said that the company's experience in the North-East "has convinced us there is a significant level of ignorance regarding the location of Teesside Airport, both within the UK and particularly continental Europe".

Meanwhile, bmibaby has also been pushing for a change to East Midlands Airport, which could now be renamed Nottingham Airport.