Mayor 'exploring all options' to save oil route

All scheduled Eastern flights have been cancelled

A mayor has said his team are "exploring all options" to get a flight route restored following the news regional airline Eastern Airways is on the brink of collapse.

The company filed a notice of intention to appoint an administrator on Monday and all its scheduled flights have been cancelled.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said Eastern's Aberdeen route from Teesside Airport had been a "lifeline" for the region's oil and gas workers.

"Keeping Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool connected to Aberdeen is vital for our North Sea workforce," he said. "We're exploring all options to get this crucial route back up and running."

Eastern flights from Teesside to Aberdeen restarted in May 2024 after stopping in 2022.

At the time, Houchen said: "It is absolutely vital offshore workers keep their link to Aberdeen to get to and from work.

"It shows, once again, that our airport is about more than just holiday flights – it's helping the livelihoods of people in Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool."

Eastern is one of the UK's last remaining regional airlines and is based at Humberside Airport in North Lincolnshire.

But the airline, which was launched in 1997, faced financial challenges following the Covid pandemic in part due to falling passenger numbers.

Matt Vickers, Conservative MP for Stockton West, also said that Eastern had been "vital" for the region.

"Teesside Airport has transformed travel in our communities, expanding and protecting routes going forward must be a priority," he said.

The airport said it was "monitoring" the situation with Eastern Airlines.

Eastern Airlines has been approached for comment.