A CUSTOMER survey has proved that good things come in small packages after it named Durham Tees Valley as the UK's third favourite airport.

The results mean that it is the most popular airport outside London, with only Gatwick and Heathrow scoring higher in the consumer poll.

In a survey of airports in the North, Durham Tees Valley left Manchester in its wake.

In total, 34 per cent of respondents favoured Durham Tees Valley while Manchester received 31 per cent of the vote.

Reliable transport links, along with efficient check-in and security checks were cited as the key reasons for the choice.

The survey, conducted by airline operator Cheapflights.co.uk also showed that only two per cent of travellers cited the selection of shops as a factor, with only three per cent valuing the selection of restaurants, bars and cafes.

Rounding up the regional list were Newcastle, with 17 per cent, Leeds-Bradford, which received nine per cent, and Humberside, which got seven per cent.

David Soskin, of Cheapflights, said: "British consumers are savvy travellers and look for speed and efficiency when planning their next holiday.

"Bells and whistles might make the time go faster, but when it comes to the quality of the experience it's a quick queue and a fast-moving security scan that makes all the difference."

Hugh Lang, managing director of Durham Tees Valley Airport, said: "This is great news for both the airport and its parent company, Peel Airports.

"We are now in the third year of an exciting investment programme to deliver a friendly, efficient and modern airport for all passengers.

"Despite the development work, we constantly focus all of our staff on the importance of customer satisfaction.

"Recognition in a poll such as this is a fantastic boost for all of our staff - and tells us that our customers appreciate all of our efforts to ensure that their visit is both friendly and hassle-free."

* Newcastle International Airport said it was preparing for its busiest weekend this year as more than 75,000 passengers pass through the airport.

More than 650 flights to destinations worldwide will be taking off and landing at Newcastle, which is due to handle nearly 3.5m passengers throughout the summer season.

Destinations that have proved popular this weekend include Jet2.com's route to Pisa, which was launched on Wednesday, along with the airline's new flights to Amsterdam, Bergen and Cork.

Easyjet routes to Alicante, Nice, Prague, Barcelona, Paris and Belfast are also popular city break destinations for the half-term holiday.

Chris Sanders, business development manager at Newcastle International Airport, said: "The beginning of May heralds the start of the summer season with an increase in the number of passengers travelling through the airport, but this weekend will be the busiest of the year so far."