Midwest Executive Aviation has opened an FBO at Teesside International Airport. It is the company’s third FBO in the UK, adding to its other facilities at Coventry and Newquay airports.

The opening of the FBO highlights the steady growth of the company, which opened its Newquay

facility last year as a ‘transatlantic gateway’, as reported in EBAN’s November issue.

The company’s FBO features a

full vip lounge, 24 hour operations, pre-clearance of immigration and customs, and a car to aircraft transport facility.

Midwest Executive believes that the facility will fill a gap in the

market at Teesside. Managing Director Craig Middleton told EBAN: “As far as we are aware all the existing clients who use Teesside will benefit from the FBO as they have been handled by mainstream handling agents in the past.

“Corporate traffic has always

had less priority compared to their airline customers. Now that we are there, we will be able to dedicate our full focus on the existing and future traffic,” he added. “With Teesside having a dedicated FBO we believe that, in time, pilots will see it as a good alternative to Newcastle,” said Middleton, “if their business takes them to the Teesside region.”

The company believes that the facility will prove itself immediately. “We have dedicated staff with years of experience to assist in the smooth running and start up,” he said.

Mark Newall, who has ten years

of experience with corporate aviation, will relocate from Coventry to take over as project manager and oversee the set-up.

Midwest Executive is hoping that its rapid growth will continue, and

is looking to the continent for

future expansion. “Our plans for the future are to keep on looking at potential new FBOs, but we are

now planning on looking into Europe,” said Middleton.

The development of the new base comes at an important stage in the growth of Teesside Airport.

Business development manager Mark Clarkson added: “We are currently undergoing a major investment programme as a result of Peel Airports taking a majority shareholding in the company last year. Also, with 2004 being our 40th year of commercial operation, the addition of Midwest Executive comes at a very exciting time for the airport and the region.

“We have been discussing the potential for an FBO for some time and we believe that with the experience and expertise of

Midwest Executive, the base will develop into an extensive handling and passenger/freight chartering operation. It will provide a

dedicated service for local and international business.”