NEWCASTLE International Airport marked another milestone in its 65-year history when the three millionth passenger checked in.

And film buffs would have been forgiven for thinking the passenger was a major Hollywood film star, because he shared the same name.

Bob Hope, 70, from Sunderland, was flying out to Hamburg, in Germany, to visit his daughter and grandchildren, when he was told he was the three millionth passenger to check in at the airport, since it opened in 1935.

He was met by airport managing director Trevor Went, and presented with a bottle of champagne and complimentary tickets to celebrate.

The retired TV engineer said: "I was shocked when I got the phone call to say I was the three-millionth passenger to use the airport.

"I fly a couple of times a year from Newcastle to visit my daughter and grandchildren in Germany, and the complimentary tickets I have received will come in very handy."

Passenger numbers at the airport have been edging ever closer to the three million mark since the start of the year, when the airport opened its new £27m terminal building.

It has taken just seven years to soar from the two to three million passenger mark, compared with 13 years to go from one to two million and 45 years to build up to the initial one million.

Mr Went stressed the important link between the growing passenger numbers and increasing number of jobs at the airport.

He said: "For every one million passengers, a thousand jobs are created, which is a formula that works right across UK airports from the biggest to the smallest.

"Three million passengers here at Newcastle equates to 3,000 on-site jobs, which directly benefits the local community and economy."

The last decade has seen expansion in all sectors of the market, with the fastest rate of growth in scheduled services.

Passenger statistics last month totalled 315,581, compared with 300,651 in May 1999, an increase of five per cent.

Performance on international scheduled passenger traffic has been most dramatic, with a 16 per cent increase, totalling 51,539 for the month.

There have also been steady increases in domestic passenger numbers, which increased by five per cent to total 79,146, compared with 73,374.

Holiday traffic has increased by three per cent, from 179,001 to 184,175.

Looking to the future, Mr Went said: "Our three millionth passenger not only celebrates the success of recent years, but marks the beginning of a further exciting phase of expansion.

"We have a brand new terminal building, designed to handle five million passengers, which will be within reach within this decade."

Newcastle is also well ahead with its Masterplan Review, which looks ahead to the airport's requirements up to the year 2016.

"If the airport manages to achieve the high growth forecasts by the year 2016, it will become the most important jobs generating site in the region,"said Mr Went