Teesside Airport Scoops Award

Colin Warnek said:
No saying that a flight to Alicante equals going to Benidorm is the silly thing. He’s said it more than once in this thread so I had to call it out for what it is - utter nonsense.

There are many legit arguments for and against but that is once of the silliest I’ve heard.
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I couldn't find any packages to anywhere other than Benidorm.
 
Norfolkred1 said:
Been to Alicante twice and loved it, Benidorm for a few hours and hated it. My Bro loves it, me personally hate the thought of spending a night in the place.
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worked two summers in Benidorm - 74 and 75 (it was all fields then .... :cool: ) .... both times went by train to Alicante and had great times avoiding the Guardia Civil ...

I had some of my most memorable days and nights in Alicante.

But isn't the point, if the only 'winter sun' February destination from a regional airport 50 years later is to Alicante, it probably isn't doing too well?
 
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Ironops said:
Airports are not the type of infrastructure we need, it’s stuff we use everyday we need more of like trains and buses, not summer charter flights you can just as easily get from Leeds or Newcastle.

I would have thought that was patently obvious but the Tory apologists seem blind to it at every turn
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The way I look at it is that hundreds of billions of public money (either U.K. or EU) have been spaffed on vanity projects all around the U.K. The Teesside Airport money is relatively a drop in the ocean.

Anybody thinking the Teesside Airport money would have been available for anything else in this area is naive, surely we might as well have it rather than nothing? That Schiphol link maybe worth more to the area than you realise, most business travellers don’t want an extra 1.5 hours each way to Newcastle or Leeds on top of their already stretched day.
 
Ironops said:
Airports are not the type of infrastructure we need, it’s stuff we use everyday we need more of like trains and buses, not summer charter flights you can just as easily get from Leeds or Newcastle.

I would have thought that was patently obvious but the Tory apologists seem blind to it at every turn
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I think it is a lot more complicated than it just being a Tory v Labour issue.
Do you think Labour would close the airport? I'm not sure that would be easy to sell as a positive move to be honest. I'd be surprised if any potential mayor included that as a policy.
Certain areas in the region need improved local transport links, but the whole region could benefit from a credible airport.
The challenge is achieving both. Does it have to be one or the other?
 
HolgateCorner said:
The way I look at it is that hundreds of billions of public money (either U.K. or EU) have been spaffed on vanity projects all around the U.K. The Teesside Airport money is relatively a drop in the ocean.

Anybody thinking the Teesside Airport money would have been available for anything else in this area is naive, surely we might as well have it rather than nothing? That Schiphol link maybe worth more to the area than you realise, most business travellers don’t want an extra 1.5 hours each way to Newcastle or Leeds on top of their already stretched day.
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Not true!

Houchen has a transport budget, he has to spend it on Tees Valley transport. He chose to spend the majority of it on the airport. Whats interesting is in the news just this past week, the Metro Mayor of Manchester have taken control of the whole bus network, enabling the local people to get about in the Manchester region cheaply but more importantly at a time and to a place the public want to go.

Houchen instead put on a Mini bus called Tees Flex that no one travels on, because he spends the transport budget on an airport less than 1% of the population uses.
 
TheLodger said:
he spends the transport budget on an airport less than 1% of the population uses.
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The number of passengers isn't the only way to justify the airport though is it?
A lot of the arguments being used to justify it seem to involve private and business use, plus the investment in the area it encourages.
If this and then positive PR result in additional routes and flights then passengers would increase wouldn't they?
 
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Rofesleg said:
If this and then positive PR result in additional routes and flights then passengers would increase wouldn't they?
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As Neutron Jack said "Hope is not a strategy".

The original Houchen business plan is way off track. What is the new plan, and the new strategy?
 
Rofesleg said:
The number of passengers isn't the only way to justify the airport though is it?
A lot of the arguments being used to justify it seem to involve private and business use, plus the investment in the area it encourages.
If this and then positive PR result in additional routes and flights then passengers would increase wouldn't they?
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What investment in the area has it encouraged?

I believe this is a lie but I'm willing to be proven wrong
 
masquesmog said:
As Neutron Jack said "Hope is not a strategy".

The original Houchen business plan is way off track. What is the new plan, and the new strategy?
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I don't know.
But I would hope it is a bit more than just closing the airport and buying more buses. Whoever it may be that devises a strategy and implements it.
We need to start thinking of it as the region's airport and not just as Houchen's airport.
 
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Corcaigh_the_Cat said:
What investment in the area has it encouraged?

I believe this is a lie but I'm willing to be proven wrong
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A lie by who?
I didn't claim any knowledge of specific investments. I said it was an argument used in favour of developing a credible airport. I guess it refers to potential future investments more than current.

In my opinion, one of the reasons the region has struggled historically has been it's 'isolation'.
- No motorway.
- No mainline train station.
- A half assed airport.
For all three to improve is surely a good thing?
 
Rofesleg said:
The number of passengers isn't the only way to justify the airport though is it?
A lot of the arguments being used to justify it seem to involve private and business use, plus the investment in the area it encourages.
If this and then positive PR result in additional routes and flights then passengers would increase wouldn't they?
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You could argue that, and you would have a case, but investment in the Tees Valley has actually reduced since Houchen has became mayor.
 
TheLodger said:
Not true!

Houchen has a transport budget, he has to spend it on Tees Valley transport. He chose to spend the majority of it on the airport. Whats interesting is in the news just this past week, the Metro Mayor of Manchester have taken control of the whole bus network, enabling the local people to get about in the Manchester region cheaply but more importantly at a time and to a place the public want to go.

Houchen instead put on a Mini bus called Tees Flex that no one travels on, because he spends the transport budget on an airport less than 1% of the population uses.
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I would need to know more about the central budgeting and how you apply for it before I accepted your comment above.

In fairness to Houchen (and I would never vote for a Tory by the way) he did get elected largely on the back of saving the airport from the dodgy long long term game that Peel were playing to run it down so that closure became inevitable.

The Manchester public transport system has had £400m of public bail outs in the last four years - I wouldn’t hold that up as a paragon of virtue. Public transport infrastructure is an investment not a money spinner.
 
Rofesleg said:
A lie by who?
I didn't claim any knowledge of specific investments. I said it was an argument used in favour of developing a credible airport. I guess it refers to potential future investments more than current.

In my opinion, one of the reasons the region has struggled historically has been it's 'isolation'.
- No motorway.
- No mainline train station.
- A half assed airport.
For all three to improve is surely a good thing?
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Spot on and why does everything in Teesside have to show an instant great return on investment when other areas get billions of public money ploughed in?

Look at the state of HS2, but I would bet nobody on the London or Birmingham football forums will be complaining about tax payers money spent in their back yards on vanity projects.
 
Gordy1000 said:
Sat in the Rockcliffe Lounge at the Airport as I tap out this message. I can only agree, experience so far has baan great. No queues to drop off luggage, no queues at security. Very pleasant surroundings and all the staff have been chatty and friendly. What a difference from when I first flew from here 40 years ago. It's definitely my airport of the year and I hope you pick up more business as a result of the award.
Also, looking out the lounge window, there's a few private jets. Teesside must be picking up.
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Thing is if it did pick up more business the circumstances for which it won and which you have perfectly outlined will diminish. Its ideal because it is not busy.
 
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