GENEVA, Malaga and Belfast were yesterday unveiled as the first of a wave of new routes out of Teesside International Airport.

The destinations, ann-ounced by budget airline bmibaby, represent the start of a process intended to increase the number of passengers using the airport from the present 700,000 to 1.2 million in the next year.

The low cost flyer promised these were the first of many - with up to four more destinations expected to be announced in October or November.

It was a landmark day for both the company and the airport.

For bmibaby, it represents its fourth hub in the UK and adds to an extremely rapid period of expansion.

During the coming months, work will begin on a new access road at Teesside, enlarging car park facilities and upgrading and extending the terminal building.

Under the stewardship of investors Peel Holdings, a dramatic transformation will take place.

The improvements will complement bmibaby's plans for the airport.

Planes from the operator's East Midlands base will initially operate a daily service from Teesside to Belfast and flights on Saturdays to Geneva and Malaga.

From March, two aircraft will be permanently based at Teesside and a number of new destinations will be opened up.

Tony Davis, managing director of bmibaby, said: "The target for us all is that Teesside is the fastest growing airport in Britain next summer."

Seat prices, including taxes and insurance, start from £12.50 each way to Belfast, £31.50 to Geneva and £41.50 to Malaga.

Bmibaby has shown in the past that it is prepared to rapidly expand operations at airports where there is clear demand for extra destinations.

The company yesterday detailed its commitment to continuing that policy at Teesside, but said it was up to the public how swift that growth would be.

It was a day of celebration for Hugh Lang, managing director of Teesside Airport, who, with his team, has been credited with masterminding the transformation of what was an airport in decline.

He said: "This is a significant development for the airport and the region, and in particular the travelling public of the North-East giving them a greater choice for business, holidays and short breaks."

Mr Lang said they were looking at a range of ways of getting passengers from Darlington direct to the airport, including by bus and rail.