IT is so annoying that Ryanair has stopped flying from Durham Tees Valley Airport (Echo, Jan 12) as it was the only budget airline operating from there with reasonably priced flights.

Once upon a time in Darlington, we could see aircraft regularly flying in our airspace, taking off and landing at the airport during the day, but now we are lucky to spot one or two of them in the sky.

Now I find myself waving at the birds and flying insects instead.

I am not sure what plans the owners have, but for the sake of all the airport’s hardworking staff and the fliers who use it, I hope they intend to keep it open.

It is a valuable business to the local community.

If I was the proprietor, the first things I would do is drop the £6 passenger charge and make phonecalls to airlines like EasiJet, Flybe and Jet 2, doing my hardest to attract new flights.

It disturbs me to write this, but if new business plans are not put in place soon, then I can see a “For Sale” sign being erected, and not long after that, a new housing estate constructed on what was once a runway.

Christopher Wardell, Darlington