Teesside voted best UK airport for leisure travel at British Travel Awards
Passengers have voted Teesside International Airport as the Best UK Airport for Leisure Travel at the country’s biggest travel awards.
The airport picked up the gong at the British Travel Awards – the largest survey of consumer opinion on everything to do with leisure travel. The awards cover the whole holiday sector, with travel companies, cruise lines, travel agents, hotel brands, airlines and airports all in the running.
The transformation of Teesside Airport, including its renovation, new routes, and punctuality – plus becoming the first airport in the UK to scrap the 100ml liquid limit in security – have made a huge impression on passengers, who voted in their thousands to make Teesside top of the list.
This is the third award success, after scooping UK & Irish Airport of the Year at the TTG Travel Industry Awards and netting a Highly Commended honour when up against global competition in the International Airport Review’s Airport Experience Award.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “What a way to cap off the year! After a year of activity to further expand the airport, back our local businesses, institutions and grow our passenger numbers even more, this is the icing on the cake.
“Make no mistake, the British Travel Awards aren’t a small operation that only exists so airports can pat themselves on the back – these are nationally and internationally significant and entered by the biggest and the best. This will yet again put our region on the map, with Teesside Airport front-and-centre as we prove that we can do anything we set our minds to.”
Phil Forster, Teesside International Airport Managing Director, said: “I’d like to thank all of our valued passengers who took the time to give us their backing. From comments on social media, satisfaction surveys and talking to people in the terminal, we know they’re enjoying flying from Teesside but to see that support lead to this award is fantastic.
“We never want to lose sight of why we’re doing this – to give people the best experience whether they’re taking off for holidays, making vital business connections or locating themselves at our site. We want our airport to be a success for everyone – and this year shows we’re really moving in the right direction.”
The award marks the end of another successful year at the airport – which has seen the most passengers use the terminal for 11 years.
The majority of the flights for next year’s summer season are now on sale, with Ryanair offering services to Faro in Portugal, Majorca and Corfu alongside a three-times weekly year-round Alicante service.
TUI – one of the UK’s biggest holiday companies – has also expanded its offering from Teesside this year, with twice-weekly flights to Majorca thanks to the popularity of the route last year. It will also introduce flights to Turkey’s popular Dalaman destination in 2024.
Balkan Holidays is also operating its service to Bourgas, Bulgaria, in the summer and holidaymakers are going further afield easier than ever with KLM’s three-times daily service to Amsterdam Schiphol, serving more than 160 onward global destinations.
Major progress has been made in developing the airport as a key location for businesses as part of the ten-year plan to return the airport to profit.
Building work is now finished on the link road and first unit on the £200million Business Park South on the airport’s southside, which is set to create 4,400 jobs when fully operational while new hangars are also being developed on the northside of the airport. Construction on a new 27,000sq ft hangar is also under way, after plans were approved by Darlington Borough Council.
The Teesside Aviation Skills Academy has also opened its doors to its first students, all studying aviation at Teesside University. The Academy, based in the terminal, will give them the chance to put their knowledge and skills into practice at an operational airport as part of their studies.