More budget flights for airport

The low-cost airline has added new routes from Teesside

The number of budget airline flights from Teesside Airport is to be more than doubled, a low-cost carrier has revealed.

In June 2003, bmibaby announced it was fly to three European destinations.

Now the company says it plans to increase that number to eight - offering more than 40 flights a week from the airport.

The company began flying to Belfast, Malaga and a winter-only service to Geneva.

But it says from summer 2004, it will also travel to Alicante, Jersey, Nice, Palma and Prague.

Tony Davis, managing director of bmibaby, said: "We have considerably increased the destinations on offer from just three.

'Well supported'

"We're offering a variety of leisure and business destinations, which we believe, will include something to suit everyone."

Hugh Lang, managing director of Teesside International Airport, said: "This is excellent news for the region, local travellers and the airport.

"We are sure that all the routes will be very popular especially with the fares on offer.

"The destinations currently being operated by bmibaby to Belfast, Geneva and Malaga have already been well supported and we are confident that the summer schedule will be also".

Fares will range from £12.50 one-way to Belfast, including taxes and charges, to £40 each way on Mediterranean routes.

The new routes will create 30 jobs for cabin crew and pilots, and this figure may increase.