Peel Airports Limited has announced the appointment of Steve Gill as the new Airport Director for Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield.

Steve is currently Group Environment and Facilities Director for Peel Airports and will take charge from 1 September 2011.

As Airport Director, Steve will be responsible for planning, directing and managing the day-to-day operations of both Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield and Durham Tees Valley Airports, under the direction of the Peel Airports Chief Operating Officer with support from the wider Peel Airports team.

Steve has almost 30 years’ experience in the aviation industry and has extensive expertise in airport planning and management. Steve knows Robin Hood Airport well, having played a key role in the planning and delivery of the UK’s newest full service commercial airport in 50 years, as Doncaster Sheffield Airport was developed from the former RAF Finningley.

During his career with Peel Airports, Steve has also held responsibility for a wide range of services including IT, property management, health and safety, corporate and social responsibility along with various outsourced service contracts.

Steve commented, “Having been involved with the Airport during its initial development I am now naturally delighted to be able to take the airport forward in this new capacity and to help develop the business that uses this great facility.

“In a short space of time this airport has received tremendous support both from passengers and organisations across South Yorkshire who quickly recognised what a successful airport can bring to the area. The Airport is a huge asset for people in Doncaster, Sheffield, South Yorkshire and beyond and I am determined to capitalise on this support, with the team here at the airport and within Peel Airports looking to strengthen and grow the business across all markets”.

Flights between Southampton Airport and Durham Tees Valley Airport are set to end in September, the Northern Echo reports.

The Southampton flights, operated by Eastern Airways, will cease on Friday 2 September, nearly two years after the service began.

Eastern Airways will still maintain a presence at the airport with its four-flights-a-day service to Aberdeen.

The lowest passenger numbers in 35 years are set to be recorded at Durham Tees Valley Airport during 2010.

An article in a local paper says that whilst the Civil Aviation authority is yet to confirm the exact figures in 2010, the latest calculations show just 225,000 passengers boarded flights in and out of the airport. The lowest passenger numbers prior to this was in 1975, nearly 36 years ago.

Durham Tees Valley Airport’s busiest year was in 2006 when a 917,963 passengers flew out of the airport.

After much disagreement about the new £6 passenger surcharge introduced by Durham Tees Valley Airport, Ryanair has axed its remaining route, Durham to Alicante.

The announcement follows Ryanair’s comments in November when the budget airline said it was ‘considering withdrawing its services from the airport after the surcharge was introduced’.

The controversial charge was introduced by the airport in an effort to prevent the loss-making airport from closing.

Speaking about Ryanair’s withdrawal, an airport spokesperson said that the airline withdrew before the surcharge was introduced citing that the airport could still offer the route with existing airline, Thomson.

To search for and book Durham Tees airport parking click on the link.

As the extreme weather conditions continue to hit the UK all passengers flying out of any UK airport are being given the same advice today:

Do not leave for the airport without first checking to see they are open. It is also worth trying to make contact with the airline you are flying with.

Please note phone lines into the airports and also the airlines will be extremely busy. It is unlikely you will get through. All the airports have websites with updated information on – this will be the best course of action in finding out what is happening to your flight.

The very latest in airport closures and disruption is listed below, in alphabetical order for your convenience:

Aberdeen Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Belfast City Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Birmingham Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Cardiff Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Dundee Airport
All flights suspended. Check online for further details throughout the day.

Durham Tees Valley Airport
All flights suspended. Check online for further details throughout the day.
Airport advises do not travel to the airport.

Edinburgh Airport
All flights suspended. Check online for further details throughout the day.
Airport advises do not travel to the airport.

Gatwick Airport
All flights suspended until at least 6am on Friday 3rd December.
Airport advises do not travel to the airport.

Glasgow Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Heathrow Airport
Major disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Humberside Airport
All flights suspended. Check online for further details throughout the day.

Inverness Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Leeds Bradford Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

London City Airport
All flights suspended. Check online for further details throughout the day.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Luton Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Manchester Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Newcastle Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Robin Hood Airport
All flights suspended. Check airport’s website for latest throughout the day.

Southampton Airport
All flights suspended. Check online for further details throughout the day.

Stansted Airport
Disruption to many flights. Check before travelling.

Durham Tees Valley airport has today introduced a Passenger Facility Fee (PFF).

From today, all adult passengers departing from Durham Tees Valley will pay a fee of £6, while a charge of £2 will be made for children between the ages of 3 and 15.  Infants under the age of 3 are exempt.

Passengers can purchase tickets at machines in the terminal which will then enable them to pass through security and into the departure areas.

Passengers who can provide proof that their holiday or flight booking was made before 1 November 2010, will be permitted access to the Departure Lounge without paying the PFF. Alternatively, passengers will be able to claim back any PFF paid should proof be provided at a later date. Forms to reclaim the PFF are available at the Airport Information Desk.

For more information check out www.dtvapff.co.uk

Controversially, Durham Tees Valley Airport is to launch a new Passenger Facility Fee, from 15th November.

The Fee will be charged to all passengers departing the airport. £6 for adults and £2 for children aged between 2 – 15 years.

Durham Tees Valley Airport owners, Peel Airports, said it had decided to introduce the fee after a ‘great deal of thought’, in its strategy to the airport’s secure future, as a result of declining passengers numbers in the last few years.

The fee will be payable in the airport, via machines situated in the airport terminal building. A ticket will be issued that allows passengers to then pass through security and gain access into the departure lounge.

Durham Tees Valley Airport is not alone in the fee, many UK regional airports have a Passenger Facility Fee, including Blackpool, Newquay and Norwich, and many airports across the world.

Flying in the face of the recession, brand new airline Excelsis Airways is set to launch flights from the North East of England later this year.

The airline will operate a three-times-daily service from Durham Tees Valley Airport to London City Airport and expects to announce further regional flights in the future.

bmi is celebrating after a Judge threw out a £12m damages claim against the company

The airline today announced that the High Court action brought against its low cost subsidiary bmibaby by Durham Tees Valley Airport (DTVA) had been successfully defended.

The claim for £12m in damages arose following bmibaby’s withdrawal in 2006 from the base it had established at the airport in 2004. After a six day hearing in March at the High Court in London, Mr Justice Davis today dismissed DTVA’s claim and ruled that bmibaby was not liable for breach of contract.

Tim Bye, bmi deputy chief executive and legal director, said “We are delighted with the result of the case, but disappointed that we had to go to Court at all and incur the costs and management distraction that litigation involves. We were always confident that we had a strong case and we can hopefully now put the matter behind us. The judge has instructed that the majority of the costs be paid by DTVA.

“bmi was represented internally by bmi’s head of legal, Paula Havard and I am very grateful to her and our external advisers solicitors DLA Piper, led by partner Mark Franklin and associate Kathryn Ward, and by barrister Akhil Shah of Fountain Court.”

Durham Tees Valley Airport saw a massive increase in numbers of passengers travelling through the airport in March.

More than 46,000 passengers used the airport – an increase of 16% compared with March 2007.

Emma Ormerod, Marketing and Communications Manager, Durham Tees Valley Airport, said “The airport continues to provide the local community with a range of destinations and services for both the business and leisure markets and there’s no doubt the recent bad weather has helped to attract local passengers to choose to fly from Durham Tees Valley Airport. Airlines such as flyglobespan, Ryanair and Wizz Air are expected to provide the airport with significant growth over the coming year”.

For up-to-date Durham Tees Valley Airport information and to book Durham Tees Valley airport parking click on the links.