R E G A R D I N G C h r i s t o p h e r Wardell’s recent letter on the future of Durham Tees Valley Airport (HAS, Oct 3).

The airport serves one of the UK’s most important industrial regions, which includes more than half of the country’s petrochemical and a third of its pharmaceutical industries.

Major exporters using the airport include multi-national companies such as Sabic, GSK, Huntsman, Amec and Hertel.

Alongside this important role in freight transport, I strongly support the airport in all its efforts in retaining passenger flights.

I believe the region can support two passenger airports.

Passenger flights open more doors to Europe and beyond – maximizing the use of the airport and, importantly, creating more jobs and contributing to the airport’s longterm success.

Statistics show that, for the first time, the North-East is exporting more to the rest of the world than to Europe.

Durham Tees Valley is playing its part in this.

The airport is also serving a growing renewable energy sector comprising offshore wind, gas and the sub-sea sector.

This is why Durham Tees Valley airport is so important and with the prospect of growth, why should we then limit our region to just one passenger airport?

We should retain our ambition for both airports in the region and support Durham Tees Valley’s drive to secure new business – both in freight and passenger flights.

Chris McEwan, Darlington.