TEESSIDE Airport has today (Tuesday) announced that it will offer flights to Majorca, Spain, from 2022.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen revealed that the international airport has secured a new summer service operated by TUI, the UK’s biggest holiday company.

TUI, which previously operated at the airport as Thomson Holidays, is set to return to the airport to offer weekly flights to Palma, Majorca, from summer 2022 with tickets on sale from November 5.

Flights to the popular Spanish island will begin on May 10, 2022, running every Tuesday, with thousands of free kids’ places, deposits from £75 per person and £0 deposit on direct debit bookings made online on offer.

This route will also give people flying from Teesside access to four Marella Cruises sailing itineraries, including Coastal Gems, Treasures of the Mediterranean, Magic of Spain and Mediterranean Medley, all on Marella Discovery and on sale from December 2020.

Airport staff whose jobs were secured last year when Mr Houchen brought the airport back into public ownership and saved it from closure, celebrated today.

The celebrations were taken to the centre of the runway – which has not seen a TUI plane touch down since 2013 – to signal the return of the household name.

The announcement follows the news that the airport’s list of flights for the 2021 summer season is expanding, with services to Majorca, Bourgas in Bulgaria and an eight-day trip to Italy with an option of ten tours, including Lake Garda.

Mr Houchen said: “It is fantastic to have TUI – the UK’s largest holiday company – flying from Teesside International once again. In 2022, it will have been nine years since a TUI plane departed from Teesside and I’m sure everyone across Teesside, the wider North East and North Yorkshire will be thrilled to have this household name back.

“Having TUI return to our airport is yet another huge vote of confidence in what we have achieved since I saved our airport from closure just 19 months ago.

“The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the travel industry has been unprecedented, but this has not stopped us grow our domestic offering when other airports have cut back. Our plans for summer 2021 are well advanced and with TUI local people from across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool will have even more choice when flying from their local airport in 2022.”

Richard Sofer, Commercial & Business Development Director at TUI said: “We know how important regional flying is to our customers and we’re really excited to be adding Teesside back to our UK airport offering from summer 2022.

“Our latest customer survey and booking patterns for next summer indicate that the great British public are looking forward to future holidays even more so as they may have been unable to take one this year. This is why we have launched our future holiday programmes through to the end of October 2022, so that families and couples alike can plan ahead to next year and beyond to make informed choices about what will make their perfect holiday from the wide range we have on offer.”

Flight information and more details on the latest safety measures at Teesside International Airport can be found at www.teessideinternational.com