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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Thomson flights axed from Durham Tees Valley Airport | Thomson flights axed from Durham Tees Valley Airport |
| (7 days later) | |
| Durham Tees Valley Airport has suffered a "blow" after it was revealed charter operator Thomson would no longer fly from the site, a board member has said. | Durham Tees Valley Airport has suffered a "blow" after it was revealed charter operator Thomson would no longer fly from the site, a board member has said. |
| Thomson said the decision not to operate its planned weekly flights to Spain in 2014 was out of its control and prompted by the airport. | Thomson said the decision not to operate its planned weekly flights to Spain in 2014 was out of its control and prompted by the airport. |
| Durham Tees Valley said it would reveal its "future business direction" soon. | Durham Tees Valley said it would reveal its "future business direction" soon. |
| Thomson customers with existing bookings will have to fly from another airport. | Thomson customers with existing bookings will have to fly from another airport. |
| In a statement, the airport, in which six local authorities have a minority stake, said: "We can confirm that there will be no flights to Palma and Ibiza operated by Thomson Holidays for the summer 2014 season. | In a statement, the airport, in which six local authorities have a minority stake, said: "We can confirm that there will be no flights to Palma and Ibiza operated by Thomson Holidays for the summer 2014 season. |
| "For alternative flights to these destinations, customers are asked to consult the Thomson website." | "For alternative flights to these destinations, customers are asked to consult the Thomson website." |
| 'Get to grips' | 'Get to grips' |
| A spokesman for Thomson, which also operates First Choice flights, said its decision had been prompted by a "business review" carried out by the airport. | A spokesman for Thomson, which also operates First Choice flights, said its decision had been prompted by a "business review" carried out by the airport. |
| "We would like to apologise to customers for any inconvenience that this change in departure airport will cause them, however the decision is completely out of our control," he said. | "We would like to apologise to customers for any inconvenience that this change in departure airport will cause them, however the decision is completely out of our control," he said. |
| He added: "We would like to reassure those customers who have already booked holidays that they will be offered an alternative choice of airport." | He added: "We would like to reassure those customers who have already booked holidays that they will be offered an alternative choice of airport." |
| Redcar and Cleveland Council leader George Dunning, who sits on the airport's board, described the move as a "body blow". | Redcar and Cleveland Council leader George Dunning, who sits on the airport's board, described the move as a "body blow". |
| He said: "The board have to get to grips with this. I'm very disappointed, but would hope that it would continue in some way as a passenger airport." | He said: "The board have to get to grips with this. I'm very disappointed, but would hope that it would continue in some way as a passenger airport." |
| Thomson had operated weekly flights to Alicante and Tenerife during last winter and to Palma over the summer. | Thomson had operated weekly flights to Alicante and Tenerife during last winter and to Palma over the summer. |
| Services by other operators, including KLM and Eastern Airways, are unaffected. | Services by other operators, including KLM and Eastern Airways, are unaffected. |
| KLM runs daily flights to Amsterdam while Eastern Airways runs daily flights to Aberdeen. | |
| Majority owner Peel Holdings has twice made unsuccessful applications to the government's regional growth fund for extra investment after passenger numbers fell by about 700,000 since 2006. | Majority owner Peel Holdings has twice made unsuccessful applications to the government's regional growth fund for extra investment after passenger numbers fell by about 700,000 since 2006. |