New updated destination list

*Charter/holiday flights only

Aberdeen..................x3 Daily
Alicante....................x3 Daily
Amsterdam................x5 Daily
Barbados*.................(Selected dates only)
Barcelona..................x1 Daily
Belfast City................x3 Daily
Belfast International....x2 Daily
Bodrum*...................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Bourgas*
Bristol.......................x2 Daily
Brussels....................x3 Daily
Chambery.................(NEW seasonal scheduled service)
Corfu*
Cork.........................x1 Daily
Dalaman*
Dublin.......................x3 Daily
Edinburgh..................x4 Daily
Exeter.......................x1 Daily
Faro.........................x1 Daily
Fuerteventura*
Geneva.....................(seasonal)
Glasgow....................x3 Daily
Ibiza.........................x4 Weekly
Innsbruck*
Isle of Man.................x1 Daily
Jersey.......................x1 Daily (additional weekend services)
Lanzarote*
London Heathrow........x4 Daily
Lahore Pakistan..........x4 Weekly (aircraft upgraded to 767)
Las Palmas*
Malta*
Mahon*
Malaga......................x3 Daily
Murcia.......................x2 Daily
Nice..........................x1 Daily
Palma........................x2 Daily
Paris.........................x4 Daily
Paphos*....................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Prague......................x1 Daily
Reus*
Southampton..............x5 Daily
Tenerife.....................x4 Weekly scheduled services
Varna*.......................(Extra flights from summer 2006!)
Verona*
Venice.......................x4 Weekly
Zakynthos*

Leeds Bradford International the airport on Leeds and Bradfords doorstep!

What happened about the New York questionnaire?

Work in progress I am told......keep watching this space! The recently introduced Swefly flights to Lahore Pakistan are already proving a success and they're already looking at increasing the flights. The service is now operated by a 767-200 aircraft.

How do people find out about these flights so quickly! Due to its past, most people I know wouldnt even bother looking for long haul destinations such as Lahore from Leeds, but would go straight for Manchester. Many do try to get European flights though from Leeds. I heard someone say not so long ago when flying to Moscow 'why can't we fly from Leeds?'. "because there's no flights from Leeds". "there might be new flights". "that will never happen, Leeds is a holiday airport, and Moscow isnt a holiday destination"
More or less, those were the exact words, and I hope they're not true! I think Leeds could easily be a major airport given the investment- it has the demand to support things... Really we need to inform airlines and attract them to Leeds Bradford, because if the flight is available, people will get there. The limited infrastructure in the end doesnt stop people from getting there.

Also, I am led to believe that one of Jet2's roles was to revive the airport and bring a large range of new low cost flights to the airport. Well if it was possible to open a new range of destinations from a new airline then, shouldnt it be just as possible now, to bring in a new airline, therefore speeding up the growth and allowing a much larger range of flights? Ive noticed that as the airport offers many European destinations now, there are alo some airlines realizing that long haul flights might be succesful, such as the Lahore service. I believe a Cairo service would be very succesful too...

Fingers crossed!!

It would, although I'd like to see them regularly, not just once a week or something. Over 100,000 people travelled from Yorkshire/Humber to New York, alot on business I would guess so the flights need to be timed properley.

A plane has made an emergency landing at LBA...
www.bbc.co.uk/news

Another record breaking month for Leeds Bradford

Continuing the success of June when Leeds Bradford Airport saw more than a quarter of a million passengers pass through the terminal during the month, the airport today announced that a record breaking 281,025 passengers were welcomed by the airport in the month of July.

The total throughput was a 15% increase against July 2004 and brought the total numbers for the year to 1,499,517, which is a 14% increase over the same period of 2004.

The growth of Leeds Bradford is credited to the new services that have recently been launched to the ever-expanding timetable of flights.

New airline to the airport, Swefly, are pleased with initial passenger numbers utilising their service to Lahore, Pakistan and have already upgreaded to a larger aircraft to meet the high demand of people wishing to fly from their local airport.

Likewise, low cost airline, Flybe, reported a healthy number of passengers using their service to Exeter from Leeds Bradford. With fares starting at 21.99pp one way, including taxes and charges, more and more people are expected to abandon the 6-hour drive down to the Devonshire coast, one of the UK's most popular holiday destinations choose to fly from their regional airport.

Managing Director Ed Anderson said, "2005 is proving to be our busiest year ever and we are well on target to achieve 2.7 million passengers. We are in discussions with airlines about further new routes during the coming year."

ENDS

Information taken from www.lbia.co.uk

Holiday company Thomas Cook, have announced that they are to increase capacity of their summer 2006 program.

The company has decided to add the Greek islands of Rhodes and Crete (Heraklion)to their program, flying direct from Leeds Bradford International Airport. Holidays to the Algarve, Fueteventura, Lanzarote, Majorca, Tenerife, Turkey, Rhodes and Crete are now been offered by the company with direct flights from Leeds Bradford.
New updated destination list

*Charter/holiday flights only

Aberdeen..................x3 Daily
Alicante....................x3 Daily
Amsterdam................x5 Daily
Barbados*.................(Selected dates only)
Barcelona..................x1 Daily
Belfast City................x3 Daily
Belfast International....x2 Daily
Bodrum*...................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Bourgas*
Bristol.......................x2 Daily
Brussels....................x3 Daily
Chambery.................(NEW winter scheduled service)
Corfu*
Cork.........................x1 Daily
Dalaman*
Dublin.......................x3 Daily
Edinburgh..................x4 Daily
Exeter.......................x1 Daily
Faro.........................x1 Daily
Fuerteventura*
Geneva.....................(winter only)
Glasgow....................x3 Daily
Heraklion*..................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Ibiza.........................x4 Weekly
Innsbruck*
Isle of Man.................x1 Daily
Jersey.......................x1 Daily
Lanzarote*
London Heathrow........x4 Daily
Lahore Pakistan..........(aircraft upgraded to 767)
Las Palmas*
Malta*
Mahon*
Malaga......................x3 Daily
Murcia.......................x2 Daily
Nice..........................x1 Daily
Palma........................x2 Daily
Paris.........................x4 Daily
Paphos*....................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Prague......................x1 Daily
Rhodes*....................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Reus*
Southampton..............x5 Daily
Tenerife.....................(NEW Scheduled service from OCT)
Varna*......................(Extra flights from summer 2006!)
Verona*
Venice.......................x4 Weekly
Zakynthos*

Leeds Bradford International the airport on Leeds and Bradfords doorstep!

Even more choice from your local airport..........more still to come!!!

Heraklion should be quite a good addition. I flew to Heraklion from Manchester last year, and I know alot of people do actually visit Greece and the Greek Isles, such as Crete.
Egypt seems to be a popular holiday destination at the moment too.

So has the London City link finished? I heard that was more useful to people who wanted to get to London as Heathrow is quite a way out. Although Heathrow is a great flight to link onto further afield

I thought it was still going... Ill check the website

Leeds Lad

Yes mate the London City service has finished. It has been tried twice unsuccessfully now, so I can't see it operating again anytime soon. The domestic low cost market is expanding and FlyBe are making a real go of services to the south coast and I expect additional services to be added in the near future.

ook. Shame really but still. It may start again in the future when more people will want to fly to Canary Wharf, Olympics, Greenwich... ect.

Leeds No1, Air travel is still going through a change and the trend is still moving more and more towards low cost services, The service operated by BMI to London City was reguarded as too expensive at a time when even business travelers are opting for a cheaper alternative. BMI have since introduced BMI baby fares on some of its London Heathrow services.

Very interesting letter in last night's YEP on Leeds Bradford :-

" Despite operating for less than four months, the owners of the new Doncaster airport are predicting it will overtake Leeds Bradford within the next two years. Frankly, I don’t doubt them. When the same people took control at Liverpool it was half the size of Leeds Bradford – it’s now twice as big. The gap between Leeds Bradford and its peers in the UK has widened over the last 10 years and it remains the smallest airport serving a major UK region. There is no question that this is because Leeds Bradford is local authority controlled. It’s a living legacy of an approach to airport management 60’s style. It didn’t work then and doesn’t work now.

Today private sector specialists operate regional airports using their finances and expertise to build modern facilities and attract new airlines and destinations. Their desire to gain a return on their investment simultaneously benefits the surrounding region through increased employment and investment opportunities. The evidence of these successes across the UK is overwhelming with airports like Bristol and Newcastle even securing daily flights to New York with major US airlines.

The gulf though hasn’t registered or is of no interest to West Yorkshire’s political community. If they genuinely wanted a first class competitive airport, somewhere to raise the region’s profile internationally and be a catalyst for economic development, they would have long since sought a private partner to run Leeds Bradford. Their lack of action speaks volumes."

Any comments ??

Manchester is also owned by the local authorities over here - that can hardly said not to be doing well.

Manchester is also owned by the local authorities over here - that can hardly said not to be doing well.


Exceptio probat regulam ? :)

The letter to the YEP criticised LBA for its under achievements, stating that Liverpool had grown much faster under private control. The fact is that Liverpool was pulled into growth by Easyjet a good three years before the opening of a low cost brand at Leeds.

Leeds Bradford, with the growth of Jet2 has still managed to maintain a healthy percentage of business flights with airlines such as KLM , Eastern Airways and BMI. It is difficult to quantify whether the new Doncaster airport will have much impact on the growth of LBA. Doncaster does have the land potential for future growth but it will take a number of years before the airport can claim superiority over Leeds Bradford. What must be said is that LBA is hardly a lost cause, the airport has grown by 15% year on year, since the arrival of services by Jet2. The airport company although owned by the 5 metropolitan councils, can still expand under normal limited company rules.

The Department for Transport published its findings into the growth of air travel, stating that Leeds will continue to do well and could expand to handle in the region of 9 - 12 million passengers. The airport has the backing of the Department for Transport to extend the runway by 300m, extend the terminal facilities and parking stands. Provision for additional taxiways and roads have also been recomended.

It has to be said that both Humberside and Nottingham East Midlands have had little growth under the ownership of the Manchester Airport Group, but if a company put the money on the table for all the proposed developments then the councils should take it.

Smartcity, I am glad that you are able to put a balanced view on the discussions about LBIA. I am sure half of the people commenting here have not even been to the airport. The developments and growth over the last few years have been phenomenal. I fly from Leeds every couple of months and to see the amount of aircraft parked up at 6am is incredible compared to a couple of years ago.

I would however like to see more of the popular destinations available from Leeds. Valencia, Budapest, Rome and Berlin would be very popular with Jet2 and as a regular business flyer, I would like to see Munich and Frankfurt and Zurich added to destinations.

Leeds will continue to grow and already offers a wide range of destinations and all the talk of the location etc is pointless as nothing can be done about it. Kind of like wishing that the Merrion centre had never been built.

Leeds will continue to grow and already offers a wide range of destinations and all the talk of the location etc is pointless as nothing can be done about it. Kind of like wishing that the Merrion centre had never been built.

Its unfair to say that about the Merrion Centre. It was a pioneering development in its day, 40 years ago. True things have moved on since then - but then we wouldn't today build a town hall as in 1858 - or even a Quarry House as in 1991. :)

Fred, I am sure that I would have been pleased about the Merrion Centre 40 years ago, that is not to say that I must like it now and I maintain that I do wish it had not been built. The footprint of the Merrion centre is bigger that that of The Petronas Towers...makes you think what could be possible. Anyhow, just an off the cuff remark to emphasis the point about the airport.

Very smart new bar area to replace the old style pub is now open at LBIA. Looks very good and has much more room than before. This area is now the only place you can smoke as they have now converted the smoking area upstairs into a gate.

Typhoo, I think it is most unfair to talk in terms of the Petronas Towers in relation to Leeds, a mere provincial city. For goodness sake, it's only in the last couple of years or so that we could even dream of 30, 40, even 50 storey buildings for our fair town !

I was not saying that we deserve or even need a Peronas towers type building, I am merely pointing out that the area taken up by the Merrion centre is under used, and if the money were available would be a prime site which could be used to build a substantial tower with offices and accomodation + a very big shopping area. If you have visited the Pertonas towers you would have seen one of the best shopping centres in the world over about 7 stories and the towers are on top. I appreciate this would be a massive development, I just think the space is under utilised and the shops that are there are poor.

I was not saying that we deserve or even need a Peronas towers type building, I am merely pointing out that the area taken up by the Merrion centre is under used, and if the money were available would be a prime site which could be used to build a substantial tower with offices and accomodation + a very big shopping area. If you have visited the Pertonas towers you would have seen one of the best shopping centres in the world over about 7 stories and the towers are on top. I appreciate this would be a massive development, I just think the space is under utilised and the shops that are there are poor.

What is the population of KL and is it not a capital city ?
I agree, with hindsight, that more intensive use could have been made of the area used - but we are talking 40 years ago !

Fred, you know the answer to these questions and yes it is correct it is a forty year old decision, regardless, if we took this view on everything, we would have all the mills staying open in the town and would be nowhere. My comments are purely thought provoking. I think we should get back to the airport discussion and yes I know that the decision to put the airport in its current location is an 80 year old one so we should get over it.

Who knows what will happen in future years to come, all we can expect is improvements at every level of both the city and the infrastructure. The airport will improve and we will see the city continue to grow. No one can predict what things will be like in a few years time.

I have noticed there are no german destinations from LBIA... I think at least one would prove very popular, as it is a major european country...

Who knows what will happen in future years to come, all we can expect is improvements at every level of both the city and the infrastructure. The airport will improve and we will see the city continue to grow. No one can predict what things will be like in a few years time.

Sorry to return to this (for the last time!). Exactly, Typhoo, no one could predict what things would be like 40 years on from the 1960's ! Because of an increase in the population and a decrease in the average size of household since then there is a 50% greater need for housing now and therefore much more need to develop land more intensely and effectively. :)

I don't think people are aware, or realise that LBA could grow to 4 x its existing size within 30 years. Proposals by the Department for Transport are now under consideration by the airport authority and a masterplan is been put together and will be released in due course.

2 September 2005

The Swefly Company Group has decided to cancel all flights concerning Lahore from 6.00pm Friday 2nd September until further notice due to present circumstances.

Swefly advise all passengers to contact their travel agencies and / or insurance companies with any ticket issues.

ENDS

What is 'present circumstances' refferring to?

2 September 2005

The Swefly Company Group has decided to cancel all flights concerning Lahore from 6.00pm Friday 2nd September until further notice due to present circumstances.

Swefly advise all passengers to contact their travel agencies and / or insurance companies with any ticket issues.

ENDS

What is 'present circumstances' refferring to?


..... Well it certainly was successful. They had to put on a larger plane
( Boeing 767) to accomodate the demand.

Maybe Swefly have gone bust, or the route has been taken from them

Well yes I knew it was succesful which was why I was (and still am I suppose) wondering what was happening...

Other than the statement issued by Swefly, I understand the airport authority is not aware of any other reason for the cancelation of the flights to Lahore. Swefly has also withdrawn similar services from London Luton airport.

On the bright side of things, I would think that if Swefly don't resume flights to Pakistan, it will only be a matter of time before another airline takes its place.

At least it is only three flights a week.

Construction started today on the airports very own business park, the new business park is to be called 'Airport West'.

Sorry in advance for the lack of information on this development, I cannot find any more details on the web at all, so if anyone else can find any please post here!

Construction started today on the airports very own business park, the new business park is to be called 'Airport West'.

Sorry in advance for the lack of information on this development, I cannot find any more details on the web at all, so if anyone else can find any please post here!



.........This is a new one on me. Where exactly will this business park be?

.........This is a new one on me. Where exactly will this business park be?
My guess is west of the airport. It's only a guess mind.

.........This is a new one on me. Where exactly will this business park be?

The 'Airport West' site is close to the roundabout near the flyover, on the Coney Park side of the road.

Just found out today the construction group on site is Caddick, looking now for more information but if anyone else finds anything feel free to post! :)

Wondered myself why they are calling it Airport West, seen as though its more in the North East part of the airport!

Ferther to the last.... I have found it on Caddicks website, but my computer isn't letting me access any of the pictures or information, if anyone else has any success please could you post here!

Contractors on site from yesterday.

Ferther to the last.... I have found it on Caddicks website, but my computer isn't letting me access any of the pictures or information, if anyone else has any success please could you post here!

Contractors on site from yesterday.


Could not find any details on Caddicks website. Where exactly are they posted?

Could not find any details on Caddicks website. Where exactly are they posted?

It was listed as one of the projects they are working on. I'll have to try find out more over the next few days.

Jet2 Announce new routes from Leeds Bradford

From next April the airline will be flying to Rome and Pisa the flights are available to book now on www.jet2.com

Piza ?

That doesn't have a leaning tower like Pisa does it ?

Piza ?

That doesn't have a leaning tower like Pisa does it ?

Thankyou Rob, very funny. I had just finnished my 12 hour shift, so I was a little tired also I was going into town to check out the Electric Press - Millennium Square bars with my Manchester pal (who I might add was very impressed with what he had seen!)

Got a little intoxicated mind :cheers: burp, gulp :runaway:

New updated destination list

*Charter/holiday flights only

Aberdeen..................x3 Daily
Acapulco Mexico*.......(Selected dates only)
Alicante....................x3 Daily
Amsterdam................x5 Daily
Barbados Carribean*...(Selected dates only)
Barcelona..................x1 Daily
Belfast City................x3 Daily
Belfast International....x2 Daily
Bodrum*...................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Bourgas*
Bristol.......................x2 Daily
Brussels....................x3 Daily
Chambery.................(NEW seasonal service)
Corfu*
Cork.........................x1 Daily
Dalaman*
Dublin.......................x3 Daily
Edinburgh..................x4 Daily
Exeter.......................x1 Daily
Faro.........................x1 Daily
Fuerteventura*
Funchal*
Geneva.....................(seasonal)
Glasgow....................x3 Daily
Heraklion*..................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Ibiza.........................x4 Weekly
Innsbruck*
Isle of Man.................x1 Daily
Jersey.......................x1 Daily
Lanzarote*
London Heathrow........x4 Daily
Larnaca*
Las Palmas*
Malta*
Mahon.......................x 3 Weekly (NEW for summer 2006!)
Malaga......................x3 Daily
Murcia.......................x2 Daily
Nice..........................(summer only)
Palma........................x2 Daily
Paris.........................x4 Daily
Paphos*....................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Pisa..........................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Prague......................x1 Daily
Reus*
Rhodes*....................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Rome........................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Southampton..............x5 Daily
Tenerife.....................(NEW scheduled service NOW FLYING!)
Varna*
Verona*
Venice.......................x4 Weekly
Zakynthos*

Leeds Bradford International the airport on Leeds and Bradfords doorstep!

At least 3 more destinations to be announced shortly.

From LBA website:

Jet2.com Become First Low Cost Airline in Europe To Introduce Boeing 757-200’s
18 October 2005

Jet2.com, the North’s low cost airline, has announced the arrival of its new Boeing 757-200 aircraft. The airline, the first low cost carrier in Europe to purchase this larger aircraft, will base the first two of the new fleet at Leeds Bradford International Airport.

Jet2.com already operate 9 Boeing 737-200’s from its original north of England base and are delighted that travellers will now be able to enjoy an aircraft that offers advanced technology for excellent fuel efficiency, low noise levels and increased passenger comfort.

The Boeing 757-200 is a twin engine aircraft that can fly both long and short range routes and because of it’s high-bypass-ratio engines, wing design and fully integrated flight management computer system, it is one of the quietest, most fuel-efficient aircraft in the world.

Philip Meeson, boss of Jet2.com said, “These new B757-200 aircraft will help us to grow our passenger numbers to our most popular destinations and in addition they will allow us to serve more adventurous routes in the future.”

Any chances of this one going to the US?

Any chances of this one going to the US?

Adventurous in the low cost model means places like Greece, Cyprus and the Cannaries. Although not impossible, it is unlikely a low cost flight will operate from Leeds to the USA. :)

That's exactly what I thought. North Africa is possible though, isn't it? There are also no German Destinations (I don't think)... I expect a more expensive airline would have to operate long haul services, such as New York.

Hopefully good news!

Yorks councils could net millions in airport sell-off
By DAVID MARSH
LEEDS Bradford Airport could be sold in a move which would net councils in West Yorkshire a windfall worth tens of millions of pounds.
Senior councillors in Leeds – which could be in line for up to £40m – are discussing the possibility of cashing in on the airport which attracts over one million passengers a year and is jointly owned by West Yorkshire's five local authorities.
An independent report analysing options for the airport's future was commissioned by Leeds City Council, and some senior figures within the authority believe now could be the right time to sell.
It was estimated last year that hiving off a 51 per cent stake to the private sector could fetch £100m, of which Leeds and Bradford would each receive £40m with the remaining £20m split equally between Wakefield, Kirklees and Calderdale.
Selling the asset would provide Leeds with a cash pot which could be used to support a number of projects considered vital to its economic future, including the building of an arena.
Capital
Along with the prospect of receiving a massive payout, a number of other factors are driving the push for a sale.
The airport will require major capital investment over the next few years - likely to include the resurfacing of the runway – which leaves the five councils facing a multi-million pound bill.
It will also need investment to help it compete with rivals, particularly the new Robin Hood Airport near Doncaster. When in opposition on the council, Conservatives in Leeds called for the council to sell the airport. Now part of a ruling alliance with the Liberal Democrats and Greens, they are keen to force the issue up the local political agenda.
They are also encouraged by the £194m shared between councils in the North East three years ago when they sold a stake in Newcastle Airport.
Coun Andrew Carter (Con, Calverley and Farsley), the council's deputy leader, said: "Leeds Bradford is the only airport in the UK without a private sector partner. The airport is key to the city's economic success, and it is important we keep reviewing our options. Robin Hood is a threat in the longer term and we need to do all we can to ensure Leeds Bradford is in the best position to compete.
Successful
"There is a lot that can be done, but as local authorities we haven't got the sort of money required."
Coun Mark Harris (Lib Dem, Moortown), council leader, said: "My view on the airport is the same as it is with other council services. The starting point is what is the service for and how is it best delivered? Ownership is almost irrelevant. I am not wedded to any dogma – private or public – but I am in favour of looking at the airport's future to ensure it provides successful services in the best interests of itself, the city and the region."
Coun Keith Wakefield, Labour group leader, condemned the idea as "selling off the family silver."
He said: "The airport is a big public sector success story. It is an efficient and well loved asset that is owned by the people. I know it has to compete with others, but Leeds Bradford serves a huge catchment area and I think it can meet any challenges."
Leeds now wants to arrange talks with West Yorkshire's other councils to discuss a possible sale. In 2004-05 the airport made a pre-tax profit of just over £1.2m compared with just over £2.6m for the previous year.
david.marsh@ypn.co.uk
Comment: Page 10
24 October 2005

Hopefully good news, but it might not happen for ages... have to see how it develops... I like the fact that Leeds is in capitals at the beginning, just to rub it in how its in Leeds lol. (Even though I know thats standard of newspaper articles).

Leeds Bradford, with the growth of Jet2 has still managed to maintain a healthy percentage of business flights with airlines such as KLM , Eastern Airways and BMI. It is difficult to quantify whether the new Doncaster airport will have much impact on the growth of LBA. Doncaster does have the land potential for future growth but it will take a number of years before the airport can claim superiority over Leeds Bradford. What must be said is that LBA is hardly a lost cause, the airport has grown by 15% year on year, since the arrival of services by Jet2. The airport company although owned by the 5 metropolitan councils, can still expand under normal limited company rules.

The Department for Transport published its findings into the growth of air travel, stating that Leeds will continue to do well and could expand to handle in the region of 9 - 12 million passengers. The airport has the backing of the Department for Transport to extend the runway by 300m, extend the terminal facilities and parking stands. Provision for additional taxiways and roads have also been recomended.

It has to be said that both Humberside and Nottingham East Midlands have had little growth under the ownership of the Manchester Airport Group, but if a company put the money on the table for all the proposed developments then the councils should take it.

......Like I said before, if a company puts the money on the table for all the work needed to be done, then the council should accept any such offer. The worry is that the so called windfall to the council would only be an estimated 40 million, sounds alot but it wouldn't go far.

So the debate begins? :poke:


For Sale :soon: ??????

Haven't got he actual figures to hand, but am almost certain that from those I did see in the paper yesterday the rate of return on the money they would hope to get if it is sold, would be better, just stuck in a bank, than the return on the investment now.

Haven't got he actual figures to hand, but am almost certain that from those I did see in the paper yesterday the rate of return on the money they would hope to get if it is sold, would be better, just stuck in a bank, than the return on the investment now.

I can only presume the return on the investment of only 1.2m is after the millions been spent this winter on new taxiways, the Airport West business park and the planned extension to the aircraft parking apron. LBIA has re-invested money, year after year back into itself.

Lets not be fooled, airports are big business, otherwise companies such as Peel and the MAG wouldn't be splashing out on buying up as many airports as they can.

I saw onee of the Jet 2 Boeing 757s parked up at the airport today, looks quite impressive. The 737s are pretty large, but the 757 is somewhat larger still, looks nice in Jet 2 colours too.

been anywhere nice rob?

certainly is good news about the bigger planes, let's hope they anounce some exciting destinations soon.

Rob, you sound like such a plane spotter. lol

The second Jet2, 228 seater 757-200 is expected to be arriving shortly, possibly with another announcement by the airline about further route expansion.

As expected, www.jet2.com have announced another route. From the 22nd of May 2006 Jet2 will now be operating flights three times weekly to the island of Menorca.

And the 20th will be coming soon...

At least 3 more destinations to be announced shortly.
One down two to go!!

TAKEN FROM THE YEP FRIDAY 11 NOVEMBER

A multi million pound regional business park is being developed at Leeds Bradford International Airport.

The 30m pound venture - Airport West - is being created by Leeds based property company, Rushbond, in association with the airport.

The eight-acre business park is expected to take three years to complete and will provide a total of 150,000 sq ft of office space in eleven seperate units, ranging from 6,000 sq ft to 50,000 sq ft, in three development phases.

The construction contract for Phase 1, on the main Bradford - Harrogate Road opposite the airport, has been awarded to Caddick Construction, Leeds, and work has started on site.

Airport managing director, Ed Anderson, said "This new business park will considerably enhance our offer to the regional business community at a time of significant growth in importance for Leeds Bradford International Airport both in terms domestic and overseas flights and the associated facilities we provide."

Phase 1 of the business park will comprise two 8,000 sq ft units and one each at 10,000 sq ft, 12,000 sq ft and 16,000 sq ft. All the units will be available freehold or leasehold and have been designed by DLA Architecture, Leeds.

Moves to develop Airport West followed Rushbond's development two years ago of a 3m pound, 25,000 sq ft research and manufacturing facility close to the airport for medical company Xiros, which relocated from Leeds University.

Rushbond development director, Mike Harley, said: "Airport West is the only major new business park under construction in north west Leeds and north east Bradford.

Growing number of businesses in this region require regular domestic and overseas flights and this will be a tremendous location for them."

Rushbond, the developer behind the 500,000 sq ft Brewery Wharf scheme in central Leeds, is expected to announce the timing for the start of Phase 2 of Airport West early next year.

The Leeds offices of King Sturge and Sanderson Weatherall have been appointed letting agents for the development.

ENDS.

Jet2.com set to start flights to the city of Milan

www.jet2.com boss has taken the unusual step of announcing another new destination today in a letter to the YEP, he says "we will shortly be announcing more, including Milan" I will add Philip Meeson's letter, taken from the YEP onto the Airport Sale Thread.

Please read the thread bellow about another story about Airport West.

Summer Proves A Scorcher For Leeds Bradford Airport

Leeds Bradford airport has announced record passenger numbers for the summer just ended. The six months May to October saw 1,575,347 passengers pass through the airport terminal. This was a 12.6% increase over the previous summer and was higher than the throughput achieved in the whole calender year just 3 years ago in 2002.

Leeds Bradford expects to reach in excess of 2.6 million passengers by the end of this year, which represents growth of around 75% in 3 years, and the airport is confident that the 3 million passenger mark will be expected next year.

Airport Managing Director Ed Anderson said, "This has been our busiest summer and the Yorkshire travelling public have demonstrated yet again the very high demand for flights from their local airport. We look forward to providing an ever increasing choice of services to business and leisure destinations over the coming years."

ENDS.

taken from www.lbia.co.uk

Air Southwest doubles flights from Leeds Bradford Airport
16 November 2005

Air Southwest, one of the UK’s fastest growing low fares regional airlines, has today announced is it to double flights from Leeds Bradford Airport to the South West of England.

A third daily flight will be added from Leeds to Bristol giving increased flexibility for business and leisure travellers alike, and a new daily non-stop flight to Newquay in Cornwall will be introduced.

Tickets for the extra flights go on sale today from just £19 one-way to Bristol and £29 one-way to Newquay, including all taxes and charges, at www.airsouthwest.com. The extra flights will start on April 10 next year, so passengers are urged to book early to secure the best deals.

Malcolm Naylor, chief executive of Air Southwest, said: “We’re delighted to be doubling our flights from Leeds Bradford in response to demand from our customers, building on our established formula of low fares and quality service.

“With the new enhanced schedule it’s never been easier for people to head to Cornwall and Newquay Airport is just a few miles from the stunning Watergate Bay, soon to be home to Jamie Oliver’s new Cornwall Fifteen restaurant.

Ed Anderson, Managing Director of Leeds Bradford International Airport,
said: “We are delighted by the success of Air Southwest’s links to Devon and Cornwall over the last 9 months, and that the popularity of these flights has enabled them to give the people of Yorkshire more choice with the addition of a direct flight to Newquay.”

Air Southwest was launched two years ago and is part of the Plymouth-based transport and regeneration group Sutton Harbour Holdings Plc, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Air Southwest operates a fleet of comfortable 50-seater Dash 8-300 aircraft.

-Ends-

Notes to Editors:
Air Southwest is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Plymouth-based transport and regeneration group Sutton Harbour Holdings Plc, which is listed on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange.

Air Southwest was launched on October 26 2003. Since its launch it has flown 420,000 passengers. Some 93% of bookings are made over the internet via www.airsouthwest.com

For a full archive of Air Southwest press releases please visit www.airsouthwest.com/news

For enquiries regarding this story please contact:
Jason Clark on 01822-833180, Jason@dclark.co.uk or Mike Coombes on 01752-242630

“With the new enhanced schedule it’s never been easier for people to head to Cornwall and Newquay Airport is just a few miles from the stunning Watergate Bay, soon to be home to Jamie Oliver’s new Cornwall Fifteen restaurant.

Wow - what a draw to go to Newquay - not. Glad they're not marketing Leeds!!

Ive always wondered how destinations like this have become succesful...

Ive always wondered how destinations like this have become succesful...

It's because Cornwall is great, one of the best places to visit in the UK. :)

Well if thats the case don't you think there should be regular flights to loads of other UK destinations?

Wow - what a draw to go to Newquay - not. Glad they're not marketing Leeds!!

You're not a surfer I take it!

Well if thats the case don't you think there should be regular flights to loads of other UK destinations?

Nope - I've lost you there...............

Explain that statement, I have no idea what your point is!?!?

You're not a surfer I take it!

Would be if I had more opportunity...I'd be highlighting the countryside and beaches not Jamie's new restaurant for something like this!

Schedule service only
Charter/holiday service only
Both scheduled and charter services
_________________________________________________________________

Aberdeen............................x3 Daily
Acapulco, Mexico.................(Selected dates only)
Alicante..............................x3 Daily
Amsterdam..........................x5 Daily
Barbados, Carribean..............(Selected dates only)
Barcelona............................x1 Daily
Belfast City.........................x3 Daily
Belfast International.............x2 Daily
Bodrum, Turkey..................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Bourgas, Bulgaria
Bristol................................(NEW three times daily from April!)
Brussels.............................x3 Daily
Chambery...........................(NEW seasonal service!)
Corfu, Greece
Cork..................................x1 Daily
Dalaman, Turkey
Dublin................................x3 Daily
Edinburgh...........................x4 Daily
Exeter...............................x1 Daily
Faro, Portugal.....................x1 Daily
Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
Funchal, Maderia
Geneva..............................(Seasonal)
Glasgow.............................x3 Daily
Heraklion, Greece
Ibiza..................................x4 Weekly
Innsbruck
Isle of Man..........................x1 Daily
Jersey................................x1 Daily
Lanzarote, Canary Islands
London Heathrow..................x4 Daily
Larnaca, Cyprus
Las Palmas, Canary Islands
Malta
Mahon.................................x3 Weekly (NEW for summer 2006!)
Malaga................................x2 Daily
Milan...................................(NEW announcement pending)
Murcia.................................x2 Daily
Newquay..............................(NEW direct service starts April)
Nice....................................x1 Daily
Palma..................................x2 Daily
Paris...................................x4 Daily
Paphos, Cyprus.....................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Pisa, Italy............................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Prague, Czech Republic...........x1 Daily
Reus
Rhodes, Greece.....................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Rome, Italy..........................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Southampton........................x5 Daily
Tenerife..............................(NEW scheduled service NOW FLYING!)
Varna, Bulgaria
Venice
Zakynthos, Greece
_________________________________________________________________
Main Airlines and links

Jet2.com....................here (www.jet2.com)
BMI...........................here (www.flybmi.com)
Eastern Airways...........here (www.easternairways.com)
Air South West............here (www.airsouthwest.com)
Ryanair......................here (www.ryanair.com)
FlyBe.........................here (www.flybe.com)
KLM............................here (www.klm.com)
My Travel...................here (www.mytravel.com)
Astraeus.....................here (www.flyastraeus.com)
ThomsonFly.................here (www.thomsonfly.com)
British Jet...................here (www.britishjet.com)
Air Malta.....................here (www.airmalta.com)
Air Europa...................here (www.aireuropa.com)
Balkan Holidays............here (www.balkanholidays.com)

Even more announcements to come in the next few weeks!!
Leeds Bradford, the airport on Leeds and Bradfords doorstep!

Is this ambitious enough?

Airport steps up plan for road and rail links

25-year plan calls for better terminal facilities and many more parking spaces

AIRPORT bosses are stepping up plans to improve road and rail access to Leeds-Bradford Airport following the collapse of the supertram scheme.
The road and rail proposals form part of a 25-year masterplan published today which will guide the future development and expansion of the country's 15th biggest airport.
Leeds-Bradford has expanded rapidly in recent years and the growth is predicted to continue. It is now used by 2.6m passengers, a figure expected to rise to nearly 7m by 2030. The number of people employed there is forecast to more than double to 3,500 over the next 25 years.
The blueprint proposes a new direct road link to the airport from the A65 and investigations are already underway for a new rail line running between the Leeds-Harrogate line and Guiseley with a station at the airport.
Other key proposals are:
• Improved terminal facilities
• Construction of a parallel taxiway alongside the runway
• New hotel and offices
• More car parking spaces
• Landscaped buffer zone between the airport and Scotland Lane
• Increase in the number of aircraft parking stands from 18 to 29 by 2016.
The plan sets out a case for increasing the number of short-stay parking spaces from 733 to 1,633 over the next 10 years, and long-stay spaces from 2,100 to 5,100.
The Government's Aviation White Paper, which called on airports to produce masterplans, suggested a 300m runway extension might be needed at Leeds-Bradford.
According to the masterplan, there are no plans for a runway extension, but the issue will be reconsidered after 2016. The masterplan will be reviewed every five years.
Over the next two months, exhibitions will be held in neighbourhoods and villages near the airport in a public consultation exercise.
Full details of the plan are on the airport website at www.lbia.co.uk.
Airport board chairman Coun Stuart Golton said it was important people were aware of possible airport developments and were given the opportunity to have their say. He added: "What is equally important is that we should avoid surprises for people."
david.marsh@ypn.co.uk
22 November 2005

I don't want to appear hypercritical or tetchy, but I would think that most of us do have access to the Yorkshire Evening Post and have already read this article and others like it posted by other contributors - often without attribution to the paper as its source.

I think you are being a bit tetchy Fred, no harm in people doing this.

I don't want to appear hypercritical or tetchy, but I would think that most of us do have access to the Yorkshire Evening Post and have already read this article and others like it posted by other contributors - often without attribution to the paper as its source.

You may not wish to appear hypercritical or tetchy but I'm afraid that's exactly what you're doing! :) However I do agree that sources should be credited.

I don't want to appear hypercritical or tetchy, but I would think that most of us do have access to the Yorkshire Evening Post and have already read this article and others like it posted by other contributors - often without attribution to the paper as its source.

Fred i take it you mean the article I posted? It clearly has on the bottom of it David marsh at YPN.

Back to my question are the plans imaginative enough? should they be aiming for even bigger growth?

Even if people have read the articles in the YEP, I think it is important also to have the information in the relevant thread, so everyone reading and contributing to the thread is up to speed on the latest information.

Specifically Ahmedd, I can comment on one aspect of this plan that seems well short of the mark.

This is the proposed A65 road link on page 34 of the masterplan (it is also shown on the summary map).

I simply cannot see how this will majorly benefit access to the airport to not only take the airport upto 2030 but also justify the cost.

From what I can gather looking at the vague maps (plus my knowledge or the area) the new link would start at the A65 by Rawdon Crematorium cut though the fields opposite, straight through Horsforth Golf Club and the underside of the runway by Scotland lane.

Surely the current link from the A65 onto Harrogate Rd pretty much covers that task anyway? If anyone else knows that area during peak traffic times then they will agree with me that the majority of the difficult journey to the airport is over by then from both Bradford and Leeds. I think this must be some poor compromise between servicing the Bradford and Leeds Ring rds.

If the Councils and Airport want to solve the problem of people getting to that airport for the next 25+ years then they must look at a much larger solution than that. I cannot speak for Bradford (maybe someone else who knows the traffic issues there better can) but IMHO an extension to the Otley old Rd connection from the Leeds Ring Rd straight to the airport is a much better solution.

Map Here (http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=430000&Y=435000&width=700&height=400&gride=&gridn=&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&zm=0&scale=100000&up.x=293&up.y=6)

BTW Otley Old Rd runs from Just off Weetwood roundabout over the top of Cookridege/Tinshill and then veers off in the direction of Bramhope.

Anyone else any suggestions as to which way the rd can run

Firstly I have to say that this is the DRAFT proposal.

Passenger numbers to increase

I think that all in all the proposals look quite reasonable, the only thing that I feel doesn't add up are the expected passenger figures of 4.7 million by 2016. The airport handled 1.4 million passengers just three years ago,with 2.7 million expected this year. So the airport has doubled its passenger figures in three years but it doesn't expect passenger figures to double again for another ten years. It is my opinion that the airport will probably handle 4.7 million passengers by the year 2009 rising to 7 million by 2016. I have based this on growth at Leeds and other airports of a similar size and catchment.

Proposed future runway extensions

The report says this is to be looked at again every five years. Although an extention to the runway would be advantageous,the airport has a list of other priorities that must be addressed prior to this. Technical advances are now available at less cost to effectively increase the available runway lengh to aircraft. Alterations to the runways glideslopes can increase the available runway without extending the actual lengh of concrete.

Proposed paralllel taxiway and extended tunnel

This project is a MUST if the airport is to carry on increasing the number of aircraft using the airfield. At the moment aircraft have to make full back-tracks of the runway before takeoff and after landing. This proposal is fundermental to the airports future growth and it must be carried out as soon as possible.

Addition aircraft parking stands

The proposals are to increase the aircraft parking stands from 18 to 29. Again the time scale for this looks wrong. The airport often has all stands in use during the night time in the summer months. Extra parking stands are needed now if the airport is to attract additional based aircraft.

New dedicated service area

This area is used for a large number of things. Cargo facilities, Catering, Airline offices, Maintenance buildings, Airline Engineering offices, aircraft cleaning facilities, fuel farm etc. The present area located near the main roundabout at the airport is too small. The area also used as a staff entry point can be overcrowded at peek periods. The new area for most of the services will be located near the Scotland Lane area, also on the new proposed link road.

Addition carpark space

I think the number of surface carparks needs to be addressed, the airport must look at multi-storey car parking medium to long-term.

New rail links from Horsforth to Guiseley with a station at the airport

This is a fantastic proposal if it ever gets off the ground. The service could be used be people from Yeadon and Rawdon as well as airport passengers. Guiseley could also have a new station incorperated into these proposals.

New link road from the Leeds Ring Road to the airport

The airport needs a link road. the A658 and the A65 in the Aireborough area are very busy even off peek. The DfT has said in the White Paper for airports that without a new link road it cannot see how the A658 can cope without making it into a dual carrigeway. The proposed link road are fundermental to the future growth of the airport.

Proposed areas for airport related employment

There are two main areas earmarked for this, Airport West is already under construction and will generally be used as light industrial. The other main area will be opposite the main terminal and will probably be for new hotel developments.

My summary

I think the airports plans for sustainabe growth incorperating various environmental measures is the correct way forward. Whilst I feel the timescale for some of the proposals need adjusting, the projects proposed are reasonable. Overrall the proposals do allow for significant growth at the regions airport. Eventual runway extensions will allow for greater flexability by airlines to operate to destinations further afield. The airport needs to try and meet its goals sooner if it is to propel the airport into the next division.

Please submit your opinions and make a difference. www.lbia.co.uk

Given the huge Asian community in West Yorkshire, wouldn't it make sense for an airline to run some flights into Asia from LBA?? There are also a large number of Asians in the Middle East and plenty of connecting flights from the Indian subcontinent that pass through hubs like Dubai...yet it seems there are no flights to anywhere further East than Turkey and no flights to the Middle East at all.

Is this political (has this been stitched up by Manchester) or is there some other reason for this?? I'm sick of driving up to Bradford from Heathrow and also sick of paying about 40% more to fly into Manchester from the Gulf. Anyone have any ideas?

There were flights to Lahore (well not direct) by SweFly but they had some problems or something. I think within the next few years we could see long haul flights to Leeds, I don't know why they don't already operate. Suppose they want to use larger airports... In theory, Leeds should have flights to most continents as it serves 2 cities, and the principal airport of a region of 5m. The only thing letting it down is the placing and links probably, this growth can only be good though. It will encourage a stronger and better airport and city, with regional benefits.

Given the huge Asian community in West Yorkshire, wouldn't it make sense for an airline to run some flights into Asia from LBA?? There are also a large number of Asians in the Middle East and plenty of connecting flights from the Indian subcontinent that pass through hubs like Dubai...yet it seems there are no flights to anywhere further East than Turkey and no flights to the Middle East at all.

Is this political (has this been stitched up by Manchester) or is there some other reason for this?? I'm sick of driving up to Bradford from Heathrow and also sick of paying about 40% more to fly into Manchester from the Gulf. Anyone have any ideas?

These flights WILL come. SWEFLY tried flights to Lahore Pakistan this summer but the airline went bust. It is only a matter of time before someone makes a success of routes like Lahore and Islamabad etc

You may not wish to appear hypercritical or tetchy but I'm afraid that's exactly what you're doing! :) However I do agree that sources should be credited.


Well, if I am hypercitical and tetchy - so be it ! Sources should always be quoted - if known. I often quote from newspapers or journals which may not be widely read - but for goodness sake the Yorkshire Evening Post is our local paper. At the rate it is quoted (often without attribution) I might think of cancelling my newsagent's order for it - it would save me some money ! :)

Probably nothing you havent seen, but oh well:

Soaraway airport calls for road and rail links

A rail link to Leeds-Bradford Airport is on the cards as part of ambitious plans to accommodate rocketing passenger numbers.

Airport chiefs have unveiled significant proposals to improve road and rail links to capitalise on its growing popularity. Already more than 2.6 million people fly to and from the airport each year. This is expected to increase to 4.7 million in 2016 and around seven million in 2030. The airport is also forecast to provide a £129m boost for the regional economy through 3,500 jobs by 2030.

A draft master plan has been drawn up outlining what improvements are sought, and inviting the public to have their say. The plan covers the period 2005 - 2016 but also gives an indication of the possible development of the airport up to 2030.

Airport chiefs are calling for a new railway spur from existing track north of Horsforth to link to Harrogate and York, for example, followed by a connection to Guiseley, which would also then run to Bradford. They also want to see improved road and bus links.

Managing director Ed Anderson said the new rail link would be more cost-effective than previous proposals because it followed the lie of the land. A new station would situated in Whitehouse Lane, offering easy access into the airport. Mr Anderson said: "The airport has massive potential to be a real driving force in the Leeds economy but we do need investment in infrastructure, some of which is outside the airport's control such as road and rail links."

Councillor Stewart Golton, Chair of the Airport Board of Directors said ‘We believe that local people should have a say about the development of their local airport. We want to hear the views of people who are interested in the future development of the airport and we welcome views on all aspects of our proposals. We are particularly keen to ensure that environmental issues are addressed and that the airport is carefully integrated into the landscape. Equally, it is important that the economic and social benefits of the airport are understood and considered’

The plans will be on the airport website at www.lbia.co.uk, and the public consultation programme runs from November 24 2005 to January 14 2006. The exhibitions will be held between 9.00am and 4.00pm at the following dates and locations:

Guiseley Morrisons - November 28 and 29

Yeadon Morrisons - December 1 and 2

Horsforth Morrisons - December 5 and 13

Otley Waitrose - December 6

Bramhope Fox and Hounds - December 12

Menston Kirklands Community Centre - December 14 and 15

Burley-in-Wharfedale Library - December 19 and 20

source?

.....HIENZ!!!! :D

Does does anybody else have any particular thoughts on any other part of the draft proposals? ie new terminal development. Land set asside for additional expansion to the terminal covers half a mile in total. Quite a substantial sized terminal could be built in the area given.

A new terminal or terminal extension is proposed for the area to the left of here....

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/2005_1225lba_apron0034.jpg

Ten aircraft parking stands are next to the proposed development with another ten stands in the pipeline on the opposite side.

heard mention on the Radio this morning that lots of nice information but little (unsurprisingly) about environmental impact.
Should we be concerned, or do we just want to get away where it is all sunshine and smog free?

The airport has incorperated landscaping buffer zones around large parts of any proposed developments. Beond the timescale of the Masterplan the only area I think will be at risk from development will be the Horsforth golf course.

I was thinking more along the lines of increased pollution levels from; a) more planes & b) more people travelling to and from the bigger airport by bus/car/coach c) more service vehicles, deliveries etc - a new train line is never going to fully replace all the motor vehicle traffic

I don't want to appear hypercritical or tetchy, but I would think that most of us do have access to the Yorkshire Evening Post and have already read this article and others like it posted by other contributors - often without attribution to the paper as its source.




When you say most of us, you have to remember the YEP circulation is less than 50% of the city's population, and for the many ex-loiners who never read the paper, I think any info relating to our threads should be included.

Taken from the masterplan - 4.7m passengers by 2016 is hardly setting many records in terms of growth is it???

Depends on the baseline! For a small regional airport, like Blackpool, over 4m pax a year might seem beyond its wildest dreams. I always thought that Leeds-Bradford airport was much bigger than it seems from this thread.

When you say most of us, you have to remember the YEP circulation is less than 50% of the city's population, and for the many ex-loiners who never read the paper, I think any info relating to our threads should be included.



When I quote from papers like the Yorkshire Post, The Telegraph and The Times I always cite them because I know that many readers here don't read them. Regarding the YEP, your point is taken - but I do hope that proper attribution is always made clear.

Taken from the masterplan - 4.7m passengers by 2016 is hardly setting many records in terms of growth is it???

Hmm I have to agree with you there Metrolink. LBA needs to be more ambitious although the Masterplan is based on the DfTs White Paper for airports which is already out of date. It quoted that in the future "Leeds could attract a low cost airline". Leeds has had a low cost airline now for almost 3 years. I think the airports goal of 7 million passengers will be reached far sooner than predicted. The plans announced last week are draft proposals and the airport has asked for public opinion. So if people want the airport to expand it is important that people leave their opinions on the airports website. www.lbia.co.uk/masterplan.php

Schedule service only
Charter/holiday service only
Both scheduled and charter services
_________________________________________________________________

Aberdeen............................x3 Daily
Acapulco, Mexico.................(Selected dates only)
Alicante..............................x3 Daily
Amsterdam..........................x5 Daily
Barbados, Carribean..............(Selected dates only)
Barcelona............................x1 Daily
Belfast City.........................x3 Daily
Belfast International.............x2 Daily
Bergerac..............................x1 Weekly NEW for summer 2006!
Bourgas, Bulgaria
Bristol................................(NEW three times daily from April!)
Brussels.............................x3 Daily
Chambery...........................(NEW seasonal service!)
Corfu, Greece
Cork..................................x1 Daily
Dalaman, Turkey
Dublin................................x3 Daily
Edinburgh...........................x4 Daily
Exeter...............................x1 Daily
Faro, Portugal.....................x1 Daily
Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
Funchal, Maderia
Geneva..............................(Seasonal)
Glasgow.............................x3 Daily
Heraklion, Greece
Ibiza..................................x4 Weekly
Innsbruck
Jersey................................x1 Daily
Lanzarote, Canary Islands
London Heathrow..................x4 Daily
Larnaca, Cyprus
Las Palmas, Canary Islands
Malta
Mahon.................................x3 Weekly (NEW for summer 2006!)
Malaga................................x2 Daily
Milan...................................(NEW starts April!)
Murcia.................................x2 Daily
Newquay..............................(NEW direct service starts April)
Nice....................................x1 Daily
Palma..................................x2 Daily
Paris...................................x4 Daily
Paphos, Cyprus.....................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Pisa, Italy............................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Prague, Czech Republic...........x1 Daily
Reus
Rhodes, Greece.....................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Rome, Italy..........................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Southampton........................x6 Daily from May
Tenerife..............................(NEW scheduled service NOW FLYING!)
Varna, Bulgaria
Venice
Warsaw.............................(NEW starts April 06!)
Zakynthos, Greece
_________________________________________________________________
Main Airlines and links

Jet2.com....................here (www.jet2.com)
BMI...........................here (www.flybmi.com)
Eastern Airways...........here (www.easternairways.com)
Air South West............here (www.airsouthwest.com)
Ryanair......................here (www.ryanair.com)
FlyBe.........................here (www.flybe.com)
KLM............................here (www.klm.com)
My Travel...................here (www.mytravel.com)
Astraeus.....................here (www.flyastraeus.com)
ThomsonFly.................here (www.thomsonfly.com)
British Jet...................here (www.britishjet.com)
Air Malta.....................here (www.airmalta.com)
Air Europa...................here (www.aireuropa.com)
Balkan Holidays............here (www.balkanholidays.com)
Central Wings.................here (centralwings.com)

........Latest is the new destination of Bergerac, additional flights to Southampton. New flights to Milan and Warsaw.

About time there was a flight to central Italy from Leeds. Now I can get to Tuscany whenever I want!
Except I'll probably be in Australia...

I have now had time to read the Masterplan and it looks to me like the overall plan would facilitate many more passengers than the 7 million mentioned. If you look at the final plan with the fuel farm and catering moved to the Cookridge side of the field and the new aprons I think it could handle much more traffic. The new taxi ways are a must (I actually thought the one to 3:2 was under construction now. Finally take a look at the size of the terminal. If this is in scale with the current terminal it would be 3 to 4 times bigger than the current facility. By the look of the terminal extension it would have to be very built up on the Long stay car park which would be ideal to have a multi storey under the facility which would tick two of the developments. I would be very interested to see a scale model of the ultimate proposal.

If you look at the land available and consider the area that the fire crews and cargo area take up at the moment, LBIA could easily handle 10-12 million passengers per year based on potential area for terminal extension and apron extension. You get the feel that the document has development times in to passify locals and that in reality the airport would like to go ahead with this now if it had the finance (come on BAA)

I think that they have to be ambitious to compete with Doncaster. I see the development of a // taxiway as very positive, and the highway and rail proposals are interesting.

Considering the highway link, I do not think that both of the roundabouts would get built for the freight area, and I would still prefer to see the highway stay on the south side of the airport, and connect to the far side of Guiseley, forming a dual purpose Airebrough bypass (desperately needed) and Airport access road.

The rail link is also good. They have through about the topography and not just providing a spur, but enabling wider connections. It would be interesting (because I am a sad transport geek!) to speculate about operating patterns. At least there are now proposals to debate.

Milan to be destination No. 20 for Jet2 from LBIA

Jet2 is to launch a new service from Leeds Bradford International Airport (LBIA) to Milan next year, aimed at both business and leisure travellers. The service will start on Friday April 7 and operate four times a week. Jet2 currently serves Pisa, Rome and Venice in Italy.

Jet2’s new service to Milan is sure to be a hit with city break lovers and business travellers alike. Milan is a shoppers haven and a shrine to fashion. It hosts the world-famous fashion week and is home to numerous designer boutiques. Milan is also the perfect gateway to the world famous holiday resorts of Lake Garda and Lake Como, ideal for those staying a little longer in one of the most scenic parts of Italy. And football lovers will not be disappointed - the San Siro stadium, home to both AC and Inter Milan is widely regarded as one of the most atmospheric stadiums in the world when packed with 80,000 cheering fans.

Tourists will not be the only people to benefit from Jet2’s new service, though. With both Leeds and Milan being important commercial and financial cities, interest from the business traveller is sure to be high.

Jet2 boss Philip Meeson said: “Milan is a wonderful destination and offers endless possibilities for all, whatever their budget. This brings our tally of Italian destinations to four, with our extensive Leeds Bradford programme also serving Pisa, Rome & Venice, flights for all of which are now on sale for Summer ’06. The people of Yorkshire simply love Italy and we’ll give them what they want! We anticipate high numbers of business travellers, attracted by our low fares and the convenient location of Milan Bergamo Airport on the main A4 Autostrada offering excellent road connections from Genoa and Turin in the West to Verona and Treviso in the East”.

I would like to stress that there are still NO flights to any city in Germany... from leedsliveitloveit.com

LOT Polish Airlines subsidiary CentralWings.com has today announced it's intentions to serve the Warsaw-Leeds route 3 times a week from 26th March using Boeing 737-400 equipment.

WAW - LBA
C0627 22:30 - 00:15 -2-4-6-
LBA - WAW
C0628 01:45 - 05:25 --3-5-7

The times are somewhat dubious, especially for the UK outbound pax, but I dare say if the price is right, may bring a bit of Polish tourism into the Greater Leeds area

LOT Polish Airlines subsidiary CentralWings.com has today announced it's intentions to serve the Warsaw-Leeds route 3 times a week from 26th March using Boeing 737-400 equipment.

WAW - LBA
C0627 22:30 - 00:15 -2-4-6-
LBA - WAW
C0628 01:45 - 05:25 --3-5-7

The times are somewhat dubious, especially for the UK outbound pax, but I dare say if the price is right, may bring a bit of Polish tourism into the Greater Leeds area


This is fantastic news! we just need flights to the other new EU member states. Also as leeds no1 says flights to some of the existing member states like Germany would also be very welcome. as regards to Polish tourism, i've noticed a lot of cars recently around leeds with Polish plates!

having just been to gdansk via manchester-frankfurt-gdansk-warsaw-manchester route this is welcome news. however - and it is a big HOWEVER, 01:45 from LBA arr WAW 05:25? i mean WTF? it's gonna have to be REALLY cheap to get people on this flight!

Schedule service only
Charter/holiday service only
Both scheduled and charter services
_________________________________________________________________

Aberdeen............................x3 Daily
Acapulco, Mexico.................(Selected dates only)
Alicante..............................x3 Daily
Amsterdam..........................x5 Daily
Barbados, Carribean..............(Selected dates only)
Barcelona............................x1 Daily
Belfast City.........................x3 Daily
Belfast International.............x2 Daily
Bergerac..............................x1 Weekly NEW for summer 2006!
Bourgas, Bulgaria
Bristol................................(NEW three times daily from April!)
Brussels.............................x3 Daily
Chambery...........................(NEW seasonal service!)
Corfu, Greece
Cork..................................x1 Daily
Dalaman, Turkey
Dublin................................x3 Daily
Edinburgh...........................x4 Daily
Exeter...............................x1 Daily
Faro, Portugal.....................x1 Daily
Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
Funchal, Maderia
Geneva..............................(Seasonal)
Glasgow.............................x3 Daily
Heraklion, Greece
Ibiza..................................x4 Weekly
Innsbruck
Jersey................................x1 Daily
Lanzarote, Canary Islands
London Heathrow..................x4 Daily
Larnaca, Cyprus
Las Palmas, Canary Islands
Malta
Mahon.................................x3 Weekly (NEW for summer 2006!)
Malaga................................x2 Daily
Milan...................................(NEW starts April!)
Murcia.................................x2 Daily
Newquay..............................(NEW direct service starts April)
Nice....................................x1 Daily
Palma..................................x2 Daily
Paris...................................x4 Daily
Paphos, Cyprus.....................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Pisa, Italy............................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Prague, Czech Republic...........x1 Daily
Reus
Rhodes, Greece.....................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Rome, Italy..........................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Southampton........................x6 Daily from May
Tenerife..............................(NEW scheduled service NOW FLYING!)
Varna, Bulgaria
Venice
Warsaw.............................(NEW starts April 06!)
Zakynthos, Greece
_________________________________________________________________
Main Airlines and links

Jet2.com....................here (www.jet2.com)
BMI...........................here (www.flybmi.com)
Eastern Airways...........here (www.easternairways.com)
Air South West............here (www.airsouthwest.com)
Ryanair......................here (www.ryanair.com)
FlyBe.........................here (www.flybe.com)
KLM............................here (www.klm.com)
My Travel...................here (www.mytravel.com)
Astraeus.....................here (www.flyastraeus.com)
ThomsonFly.................here (www.thomsonfly.com)
British Jet...................here (www.britishjet.com)
Air Malta.....................here (www.airmalta.com)
Air Europa...................here (www.aireuropa.com)
Balkan Holidays............here (www.balkanholidays.com)
Central Wings.................here (centralwings.com)

........Latest is the new destination of Bergerac, additional flights to Southampton and also new flights to Milan and Warsaw.

Can't see the warsaw flight happening myself but haho who knows.

Two more new destinations coming up...... watch this space!

The upgraded taxiway Delta is now nearing completion. The new taxiway is built to full grade strength, so it will allow for the larger aircraft to use it. This will stop the need for full runway backtracks which reduces the number of movements the runway can handle. The new taxiway will eventually link with the proposed parallel taxiway.

Work on Phase 1 of the apron extension is expected to start shortly.

Must say I've not kept particularly in touch with the goings on and developments at L/B Airport, but thanks for all the posts Smartcity, you've kept this thread really up to date. Great to see the scope of service destinations ever expanding. Now, if we could get some direct US flights......

Firstly I have to say that this is the DRAFT proposal.

Passenger numbers to increase

I think that all in all the proposals look quite reasonable, the only thing that I feel doesn't add up are the expected passenger figures of 4.7 million by 2016. The airport handled 1.4 million passengers just three years ago,with 2.7 million expected this year. So the airport has doubled its passenger figures in three years but it doesn't expect passenger figures to double again for another ten years. It is my opinion that the airport will probably handle 4.7 million passengers by the year 2009 rising to 7 million by 2016. I have based this on growth at Leeds and other airports of a similar size and catchment.

Proposed future runway extensions

The report says this is to be looked at again every five years. Although an extention to the runway would be advantageous,the airport has a list of other priorities that must be addressed prior to this. Technical advances are now available at less cost to effectively increase the available runway lengh to aircraft. Alterations to the runways glideslopes can increase the available runway without extending the actual lengh of concrete.

Proposed paralllel taxiway and extended tunnel

This project is a MUST if the airport is to carry on increasing the number of aircraft using the airfield. At the moment aircraft have to make full back-tracks of the runway before takeoff and after landing. This proposal is fundermental to the airports future growth and it must be carried out as soon as possible.

Addition aircraft parking stands

The proposals are to increase the aircraft parking stands from 18 to 29. Again the time scale for this looks wrong. The airport often has all stands in use during the night time in the summer months. Extra parking stands are needed now if the airport is to attract additional based aircraft.

New dedicated service area

This area is used for a large number of things. Cargo facilities, Catering, Airline offices, Maintenance buildings, Airline Engineering offices, aircraft cleaning facilities, fuel farm etc. The present area located near the main roundabout at the airport is too small. The area also used as a staff entry point can be overcrowded at peek periods. The new area for most of the services will be located near the Scotland Lane area, also on the new proposed link road.

Addition carpark space

I think the number of surface carparks needs to be addressed, the airport must look at multi-storey car parking medium to long-term.

New rail links from Horsforth to Guiseley with a station at the airport

This is a fantastic proposal if it ever gets off the ground. The service could be used be people from Yeadon and Rawdon as well as airport passengers. Guiseley could also have a new station incorperated into these proposals.

New link road from the Leeds Ring Road to the airport

The airport needs a link road. the A658 and the A65 in the Aireborough area are very busy even off peek. The DfT has said in the White Paper for airports that without a new link road it cannot see how the A658 can cope without making it into a dual carrigeway. The proposed link road are fundermental to the future growth of the airport.

Proposed areas for airport related employment

There are two main areas earmarked for this, Airport West is already under construction and will generally be used as light industrial. The other main area will be opposite the main terminal and will probably be for new hotel developments.

My summary

I think the airports plans for sustainabe growth incorperating various environmental measures is the correct way forward. Whilst I feel the timescale for some of the proposals need adjusting, the projects proposed are reasonable. Overrall the proposals do allow for significant growth at the regions airport. Eventual runway extensions will allow for greater flexability by airlines to operate to destinations further afield. The airport needs to try and meet its goals sooner if it is to propel the airport into the next division.

Please submit your opinions and make a difference. www.lbia.co.uk

To to add to the above, hare are a couple of pics. The first is pretty much as the airport is at the moment. The second is if all the proposed airfield developments take place.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/2006_now_0001.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/run_lit_.jpg
2016 - 2030 plan...


Just to give people an idea of the scale of things.

Original pictures from the Official LBA Handbook.

I do not remember seeing anything about a new control tower on the masterplan, although this would be a good thing. The second image looks very good. The terminal building looks very large.

I hope that they look at moving some of the facilities such as fire and fuel over to the hangar side of the airport as this would be far more forward thinking if everything passenger wise was at one side and facilities at the other.

I am amazed that there has not been any plans made for Yeadon airport depot. This is a massive area that is merely used for warehousing.

With reguards to the Control Tower Typhoo there are no immediate plans to build a new Control Tower, but with the size of the airfield expected to expand so much, it is just a small aspect in the development of the airport. I do think the airport will have a new tower within the next 5 to 10 years.

The fuel farm is high on the list to get repositioned. As it stands it is in the area required for Phase 2 of the proposed parallel taxiway. The location for the fuel farm is to be on the new services area shown bellow. I am not aware at this stage as to where the Fire Station will be relocated to, however it is the norm at most airports to have it centrally located between each end of the main runway. This would suggest to me that the Fire Station will be moved to the Southside area near to Multiflight.

Finally, it looks like at least two more flights are on the cards for the summer and a German route is looking like a distinct possibility. (unlikely to be Dusseldorf now!)

Here is another version of the LBA Masterplan....
The area set asside for thing like the fuel farm are in the top left corner.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/overlay_bravo.jpg

A German route should be Dusseldorf, it must be the most popular German business destination and is Germany's third largest (busiest) airport. I've done the route a few times but had to travel to Coronation Street International Airport to fly there.

Dusseldorf's new terminal and control tower are absolutely magnificent, has anyone else been there ?

http://www.airport-technology.com/projects/dusseldorf/images/img2.jpg

http://www.airport-technology.com/projects/dusseldorf/images/img3.jpg

http://www.airport-technology.com/projects/dusseldorf/images/dusseldorf9.jpg

Rob those pics are making me drewl! We really needs some decent facilities for Leeds and the sooner the better.

Further good news for LBA this week. Turkey specialist, Goldtrail Holidays have announced that they are to operate a new service direct to Bodrum, Turkey. The holiday flights will depart Leeds every Wednesday from the 3rd of May, throughout the summer. www.goldtrail.co.uk

Holiday company Thomas Cook, have just further increased its summer 2006 flights from LBA . The company which has already announced additional flights to the Greek islands of Zante, Rhodes and Crete, has also decided to add flights to the island of Corfu to its portfolio.

All in all, the airport looks to be well on target to reach its expected 3 million passengers during the coming year.

Leeds Bradford International, the airport on Leeds and Bradfords doorstep!


Schedule service only
Charter/holiday service only
Both scheduled and charter services
_________________________________________________________________

Aberdeen............................x3 Daily
Acapulco, Mexico.................(Selected dates only)
Alicante..............................x3 Daily
Amsterdam..........................x5 Daily
Barbados, Carribean..............(Selected dates only)
Barcelona............................x1 Daily
Belfast City.........................x3 Daily
Belfast International.............x2 Daily
Bergerac..............................x1 Weekly NEW for summer 2006!
Bodrum...............................(NEW! starts May 2006)
Bourgas, Bulgaria
Bristol................................(NEW three times daily from April!)
Brussels.............................x3 Daily
Chambery...........................(NEW seasonal service!)
Corfu, ...............................(Additional flights for summer 2006!)
Cork..................................x1 Daily
Dalaman, Turkey
Dublin................................x3 Daily
Edinburgh...........................x4 Daily
Exeter...............................x1 Daily
Faro, Portugal.....................x1 Daily
Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
Funchal, Maderia
Geneva..............................(Seasonal)
Glasgow.............................x3 Daily
Heraklion, Greece
Ibiza..................................x4 Weekly
Innsbruck
Jersey................................x1 Daily
Lanzarote, Canary Islands
London Heathrow..................x4 Daily
Larnaca, Cyprus
Las Palmas, Canary Islands
Malta
Mahon.................................x3 Weekly (NEW for summer 2006!)
Malaga................................x2 Daily
Milan...................................(NEW starts April!)
Murcia.................................x2 Daily
Newquay..............................(NEW direct service starts April)
Nice....................................x1 Daily
Palma..................................x2 Daily
Paris...................................x4 Daily
Paphos, Cyprus.....................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Pisa, Italy............................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Plymouth.............................x1 Daily via Bristol - no aircraft change.
Prague, Czech Republic...........x1 Daily
Reus
Rhodes, Greece.....................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Rome, Italy..........................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Southampton........................x6 Daily from May
Tenerife..............................(NEW scheduled service NOW FLYING!)
Varna, Bulgaria
Venice
Warsaw.............................(NEW starts April 06!)
Zakynthos, Greece
_________________________________________________________________
Main Airlines and links

Jet2.com....................here (www.jet2.com)
BMI...........................here (www.flybmi.com)
Eastern Airways...........here (www.easternairways.com)
Air South West............here (www.airsouthwest.com)
Ryanair......................here (www.ryanair.com)
FlyBe.........................here (www.flybe.com)
KLM............................here (www.klm.com)
My Travel...................here (www.mytravel.com)
Astraeus.....................here (www.flyastraeus.com)
ThomsonFly.................here (www.thomsonfly.com)
British Jet...................here (www.britishjet.com)
Air Malta.....................here (www.airmalta.com)
Air Europa...................here (www.aireuropa.com)
Balkan Holidays............here (www.balkanholidays.com)
Central Wings..............here (centralwings.com)

Great news Smarty, here's some more form Leedstoady.net
Flybe's passenger figures soar
AIRLINE Flybe's December passenger figures for Leeds-Bradford Airport increased by 71 per cent - the highest single airport increase for the airline.
Flybe added that overall passenger numbers across all its routes had risen by 27 per cent compared with the same period last year.
It said the increase was driven by strong Christmas volumes, especially on its newer regional routes.
Over 350,000 passengers flew with Flybe through the month, with all main bases showing growth.
The next largest increase in passenger numbers was at Exeter, which recorded a 60 per cent increase, compared with the same period last year.
Southampton, Edinburgh and Newcastle all increased passenger numbers by more than 25 per cent through a combination of new routes, increases in flight frequency and what the airline described as "good organic growth".
Mike Rutter, Flybe's chief commercial officer, said: "Our sales have remained strong, showing excellent year-on-year growth despite a challenging consumer environment.
"We have outperformed most low-cost carriers in the market, and we are looking to maintain the upward trend in passenger numbers through 2006 by improving the services we provide to our customers as we challenge and change the way flights are delivered."
Flybe said the December 2005 figures indicated seats sold and did not include its Air France franchise and charter passenger numbers.
10 January 2006

Happy New Year Ahmedd. If Flybe stick to their original commitment, then Leeds can expect many more new services from them. They have stated that they wish to have upto 15 destinations from LBA eventually.

Here are some pictures taken of the soon to be 'Airport West' site, where construction is well underway.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/airport_west_00.jpg http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/airport_west_01.jpg

Is Airport West to be all office units?

Yes, there are 5 units in phase 1.
The airport company will take one unit, and there is an undisclosed pre let customer for a second unit.

Smartcity, You have missed Air Southwest Plymouth off your destination list, which will (from the end of April) be a one stop service northbound am, and a one stop service southbound pm via Bristol, now without an aircraft change unlike currently.

Welcome luftnachrichten. I have updated the list to include Plymouth. :)

Milan and Rome? Sweet :D

That means no pissing about going down to London or wherever I flew from. How handy :D

Are there to be retail units in phase 2?

There is a document on the Rushbond website which gives a good overview of the masterplan for the site, also a couple of renders for some of the units.

It does mention "supporting retail facilities", but makes no mention of specific retail units in the document.

Airport West (http://www.rushbond.co.uk/pdf_files/5960_Airport%20West%20Brochure.pdf)

The development should hopefully, from a visual perspective make the airport site look more dense, particularily from the A658 approaches.

Thanks.
Should be good when it's all done.

Welcome, Even Flow. Luftnachrichten, I have tried to download the Rushbonds PDF without success. Do you have a particular plan that you could perhaps post?

Thanks SMARTCITY. :)

I thought I would post this, as I don't think there are many T&A readers on this forum.

taken from www.thisisbradford.co.uk

Door to Germany set to be opened by Will Kilner

Plans are in the pipeline to encourage more tourists to Bradford from Germany. A new flight to a major German airport is set to boost business and tourism across the Bradford district. Bosses at Leeds-Bradford Airport are holding 'advanced talks' with a well-known airline and details of the flight are set to be announced next month. The flight will allow Yorkshire businessman to fly direct to one of Germany's main economic centres. At the same time, the flight could cash in on the northern European tourism market by enticing German tourists to the region. Ed Anderson, managing director at Leeds Bradford Airport, said:"It will be possible to sell tickets for the new flights at both ends because the Yorkshire Tourist Board is actively encouraging inbound tourism from Germany."We know a lot of people fly to Germany who originate in Yorkshire but can't fly from their local airport." Mr Anderson said he had been working closely with major airlines to encourage them to introduce more business routes from Leeds Bradford. We are actively trying to get a service to a major German airport and we are very close to achieving that, so watch this space. " We would like to see more business routes and Germany is the obvious gap. We're at an advanced stage." It is understood the Yorkshire Tourist Board is preparing to market the district to Germany and northern Europe. A spokesman said: "Northern Europe has always been a strong target area for the Yorkshire Tourist Board and we would welcome more flights from Germany." Tricia Tilltson, the Bradford district's tourisum information manager, said: "It's very exciting. Leeds Bradford Airport has been doing a fantastic job bringing people to the area. "This will help bring extra visitors to the district which is fantastic news."Our members have flown out to Germany before and we have had German visitors who have flown here, but they have always had to use Manchester Airport."If they start a flight from Leeds Bradford Airport, that would definately be beneficial to us." The German flight would be among seven new routes from Leeds Bradford Airport set to be introduced this year.

Continued in the 'opinion' column

There is already a long tradition of bringing German visitors to the city thanks to the efforts of members of twinning associations in Bradford and Shipley, who have reciprocal arrangements with their counterparts in Munchenglad-bach and Hamm to stay in each other's homes on exchange visits. Currently, though, the deterrent to general tourism from Germany is that visitors have to fly to Manchester. Direct flights to Leeds-Bradford Airport would enable West Yorkshire to promote itself heavily in that country as a tourist destination. It would also help this region to strengthen business links with Germany, and it would give more German people a chance to see the major contribution their forebears made to a city like Bradford.

ENDS.

So it is looking very hopeful that a German flight can be established this year.

I like the Bradford slant of the article, no mention of Leeds, what a set of clowns the T&A reporters are. There is no doubt that Leeds (succesful city) and Bradford (hilly district) are totally seperate places which are culturally miles and miles apart, and never the twain shall meet, that must be a feeling felt mutually on both sides.

Of course a German route will certainly be very beneficial to Leeds (and may be of some benefit to the Bradford district too).

Plans are in the pipeline to encourage more tourists to Bradford from Germany.

:hahaha: Tourists to Bradford? :weird:

Well there are quiet a few tourist sites in Bradford and the district, just people not attracted to the city for the city, but for the attractions (Saltaire, NMFPT, Alhambra etc). It will inevitably benefit Leeds more though.

I like the Bradford slant of the article, no mention of Leeds, what a set of clowns the T&A reporters are. There is no doubt that Leeds (succesful city) and Bradford (hilly district) are totally seperate places which are culturally miles and miles apart, and never the twain shall meet, that must be a feeling felt mutually on both sides.

Of course a German route will certainly be very beneficial to Leeds (and may be of some benefit to the Bradford district too).


Or course it would be interesting to here a YEP version. Agree though Rob, "what a bunch of clowns" T&A :bash:

Don't normally pay much attention to the Bradford rag but this one from last week was very positive.

Taken from www.thisisbradford.co.uk

From his office overlooking the runway at Leeds-Bradford Airport, Ed Anderson reveals how the airport plans to spread its wings.

Consultation on the far-reaching masterplan is now at an end and Mr Anderson, the managing director, has been spurred on by public support for proposals to triple passenger numbers, create thousands of extra jobs and pump millions of pounds into the area's economy. He bubbles with excitement as he talks about the prospect of introducing flights to New York, Pakistan and a major German airport as part of ambitious proposals to more than double passenger numbers by 2016.

Expansion of the terminal and a new parallel taxi-way to feed aircraft onto the runway are also in the pipeline so the airport can meet the need for greater passenger and aircraft capacity.

Mr Anderson said: "Feedback on the masterplan has been overwhelmingly positive, with 80 or 90 per cent wanting to see the airport expand. Rather than objecting, people are asking for timetables and telling us to put on flights to X, Y and Z."

Six new destinations were added to the airport's list in 2005 as passenger numbers increased 10 per cent from 2004 to more than 2.6 million.

But Mr Anderson is clearly eager to entice even more passengers to the airport by adding to the choice of destinations. Another seven routes will be available this year, including flights to Minorca, Pisa, Milan, Rome, Bergerac and Newquay.

As the managing director glances out of his window at an aircraft waiting to depart, he reveals that he is confident of being able to watch planes departing for Germany in the near future.

Mr Anderson believes it will be possible to sell tickets for the new flight at both ends.

And in the longer term, flights to Pakistan and New York are high priorities.

"Our ambitions for the future are to get another service to Pakistan. The demographics of West Yorkshire mean such a service is necessary.

"During last year we briefly had a flight to Lahore which was exceptionally popular until the airline (Swefly) started struggling.

"The other exciting one will be a service to New York. I don't think it's impossible but at the same time, it's not just about to be announced. There are many Yorkshire people who fly to the states but have to go across to Manchester. I'm confident we can bring about the Pakistan and New York flights within the next two or three years."

Mr Anderson is aware that improvements in the airport's passenger and aircraft capacity may be necessary.

"The terminal has to have the right capacity, we need the right car parking space and there must be enough stands for aircraft to park. We only have one runway, but so does every other airport apart from Heathrow and Manchester.

"There will be investment in a parallel taxi way to run parallel to the runway. That is where we can hold aircraft waiting to take off and feed them onto the runway as it becomes vacant. This is a very significant medium-term project which will increase capacity.

"Eventually, we will also have to resurface the runway because it's 40 years old. That will be a very big project.

"We are going to keep developing the terminal and within a couple of years we will see some investment in the departure lounge which is going to be the next pinch point."

The masterplan also includes ideas on how to improve transport links to the airport in the form of a heavy rail link and improved bus and road access.

Onlookers have been sceptical about whether funding can be secured, but Mr Anderson remains confident.

"As we move forward over the next ten years, service access will be top of our agenda and we have two key proposals in the masterplan. We want a new rail link from just near Horsforth through the airport and on to Guiseley. I think it's realistic."

The masterplan also proposes a new road link to the airport from the A65, starting near Rawdon Crematorium. The scheme is part of a study being carried out by Leeds Council into the Outer Ring Road.

In the last three years, passenger numbers at Leeds-Bradford have increased by a

massive 71 per cent and Mr Anderson

has no doubts as to what has brought about the boom.

"The key is the arrival of Jet2.com who started in February 2003. Last year, Jet2 had nearly 1.2 million passengers so they now form 40 per cent of our passenger throughput.

"They are massively significant in our progress, they have been very successful and they are instrumental in raising the profile of the airport and the area."

Mr Anderson said Jet2 sees itself as a leisure airline but he is keen to encourage more business routes.

Meanwhile, low-cost airline Flybe said its passenger throughput at Leeds-Bradford increased 71 per cent in December compared with the same period in 2004.

Both airlines say the demand from Yorkshire residents with second homes abroad was boosting passenger figures.

Mr Anderson said: "Jet2 and Flybe are well tuned in to the demand from people with second homes in Spain and France. We see the same faces coming through the terminal - people who basically live in Spain but haven't sold their homes here. The daily flight to Murcia (Spain) is very popular."

Mr Anderson said the Airport masterplan would tie in nicely with economic regeneration schemes (also known as masterplans) in Bradford and the Aire Valley.

"We see ourselves in a regional context and the prosperity of the airport is tied up with that of the area. If Airedale is prospering, that's good for us. The fact that Bradford is showing signs of picking up is also good news for the airport.

"When we get the results of the Airport masterplan consultation we will amend as necessary but we don't think there will be any major changes."

The airport started from humble beginnings as Yeadon Aerodrome in 1931 but, if all goes to plan, it could be welcoming seven million passengers a year by 2030.

So the Managing Director thinks flight to New York and Pakistan could start within the next 2 to 3 years.

masterplan arial view.....

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/masterplan_overhead.jpg

Seven million by 2030? More like 2015 if you ask me, especially if and when a New York/Lahore service starts, and other similar distance flights. Anyway all good suppose!

New York and other exotic destinations probably wouldn't raise passenger numbers a great deal, except by the good publicity of making LBA a first class airport, it is the budget airlines that get the large volumes of passengers through.

To get up to 7m, either Jet 2 will need to keep expanding, or other budget airlines will need to expand a great deal, particularly the likes of Ryanair which is the largest budget airline to use LBA at the moment. However, both may happen, and continue to push passenger numbers up continually to reach 7m by 2015.

The quoted passenger numbers have always been based on guestimations and in reality, the numbers could be millions out either way. The ideas set out in the masterplan could be reached much sooner than 2015 given the right level of investment.

Scheduled flights to: Madrid, Copenhagen, Munich, Frankfurt and Athens are likely within the next couple of years. Like Mr Anderson has said, it is only a matter of time before scheduled flights start to New York and Pakistan.

I heard that over 100,000 people fly to New York from Yorkshire every year, or I think it was every year anyway, and the large amount of multiculturalism in Yorkshire particularly West Yorkshire boosts the idea of succesful flights to Lahore and places like that, rather than as holiday flights. So these places should be added where success is almost guaranteed, however the majority of flights should expand within Europe and popular holiday destinations nearby like Egypt.

The airline BMI withdraws service to Jersey

The airline BMI has decided to withdraw its services from Leeds Bradford Airport to Jersey. The airline claims that insufficiant numbers of bookings have been made to maintain the service. The airline has said the the service will be reinstated during March.

Sad news but I would hope that an airline such as Jet2 or Flybe will take the route on. Either would probably serve the route much better than BMI seem to do.

Come on Jet2 you can do it!
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_a_w.jpg

sorry double post.

Holiday airline withdraws services to Bodrum - Turkey and Varna - Bulgaria

Not a good week for Leeds Bradford International Airport as holiday company Thomsons withdraws its summer services to Varna and Bodrum. The company has increased flights to the popular islands of Ibiza and Majorca as replacement destinations for its based aircraft.

Holidays to Varna are still available flying from Leeds with www.balkanholidays.co.uk Thomascook are also operating flights to Turkey flying from Leeds. www.thomascook.co.uk

Since when did Leeds have an International Airport?

May not be called Leeds, but Leeds / Bardford have had an international airport since international flights started taking off from there on a regular basis quite some time ago.

It's first international flight was 1955... so since then really. It was well on it's way by 1980, and recently has grown faster than ever, particularly with Jet2's arrival. 2.6m people passed through in 2005- 0.5m in 1986. This year it is expected to be around 3m.

Since when did Leeds have an International Airport?

Hasn't Nottingham only had one for about a year? :carrot:

Infact although NEMA has had some very successful times in recent years, in the 80's LBA and EMA were about the same size. The terminal buildings are still very similar today except NEMA is much better laid out. The proposals for LBA initially follow similar plans that NEMA already has in place ie. a parallel taxiway plus two short runway extensions at either end of the runway, which again will make LBA's runway comparable with NEMA's.

The NEMA long term plans are more adventurous than Leeds' though, shame but that's life heh.

The work to completely rebuilld 'Taxiway Delta' the airports primary taxiway is now complete. Here is a picture taken today. I was going to post some new pictures of the 'Airport West' site but the visibility was too poor today.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/delta_complete.jpg

What fun. I see the website has been changed- suppose that is part of a new image that has been conveyed in LBAirmail? After seeing the style of LBAirmail, that I like, I think that the arrow logo looks good on its own, but not with the Leeds Bradford International Airport bit... then again suppose that's not really what a good airport is about heh.

Not good news, confirmation of the cancellation of the jersey flight from BBC website. LBA need to add more destinations soon!

Jersey-Yorkshire route suspended

Air services between Jersey and Leeds Bradford Airport have been suspended because of a lack of demand.
The airline BMI has also admitted there is a possibility it could stop the route completely.

There have been flights between Jersey and Leeds Bradford Airport for almost 50 years. BMI took over the route in the late 1960s.

Passengers who have already booked flights to Leeds Bradford from Jersey are being promised a full refund.

It was announced last week that 14,000 fewer passengers travelled in and out of Jersey Airport in the past 12 months, compared with figures for 2004.

More passengers are flying from Jersey to Doncaster

BMI flights to Leeds Bradford appear to have been hit by the introduction of competitor Thomsonfly's route from Jersey to nearby Doncaster, which has seen the largest increase, with 42, 318 more people flying than the previous year.

Not good news, confirmation of the cancellation of the jersey flight from BBC website. LBA need to add more destinations soon!

Jersey-Yorkshire route suspended

Air services between Jersey and Leeds Bradford Airport have been suspended because of a lack of demand.
The airline BMI has also admitted there is a possibility it could stop the route completely.

There have been flights between Jersey and Leeds Bradford Airport for almost 50 years. BMI took over the route in the late 1960s.

Passengers who have already booked flights to Leeds Bradford from Jersey are being promised a full refund.

It was announced last week that 14,000 fewer passengers travelled in and out of Jersey Airport in the past 12 months, compared with figures for 2004.

More passengers are flying from Jersey to Doncaster

BMI flights to Leeds Bradford appear to have been hit by the introduction of competitor Thomsonfly's route from Jersey to nearby Doncaster, which has seen the largest increase, with 42, 318 more people flying than the previous year.

Nice of the BBC to catch up on this weeks after I had mentioned it here on Skyscrapercity - Leeds Metro forum.

BMI do seem to be loosing their grip on the market place generally. Airlines such as Jet2, Flybe, Thomsonfly, Easyjet and Ryanair are making real inroads into the normal scheduled airline territory of BMI and British Airways. The full service airlines must adapt if they are to survive. It was only a few weeks ago when Eastern Airways announced it would not be flying from Leeds to the Isle of Man anymore. When prices were set at around 250 pound for a retern, really it's no wonder.

It's not all bad news. I don't think it will be long before another airline takes on the route to Jersey and I understand at least one airline is already looking at flying the Isle of Man route. Also the long awaited german route is expected to be announced over the next couple of weeks fingers crossed.

Watch this space. :)

Leeds Bradford International, the airport on Leeds and Bradfords doorstep!


Schedule service only
Charter/holiday service only
Both scheduled and charter services
_________________________________________________________________

Aberdeen............................x3 Daily
Acapulco, Mexico.................(Selected dates only)
Alicante..............................x3 Daily
Amsterdam..........................x5 Daily
Barbados, Carribean..............(Selected dates only)
Barcelona............................x1 Daily
Belfast City.........................x3 Daily
Belfast International.............x2 Daily
Bergerac..............................x1 Weekly NEW for summer 2006!
Bodrum...............................(NEW! starts May 2006)
Bourgas, Bulgaria
Bristol................................(NEW three times daily from April!)
Brussels.............................x3 Daily
Chambery...........................(NEW seasonal service!)
Corfu, ...............................(Additional flights for summer 2006!)
Cork..................................x1 Daily
Dalaman, Turkey
Dublin................................x3 Daily
Edinburgh...........................x4 Daily
Exeter...............................x1 Daily
Faro, Portugal.....................x1 Daily
Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
Funchal, Maderia
Geneva..............................(Seasonal)
Glasgow.............................x3 Daily
Heraklion, Greece
Ibiza..................................x4 Weekly
Innsbruck
Jersey..................................x 1 Weekly
Lanzarote, Canary Islands
London Heathrow..................x4 Daily
Larnaca, Cyprus
Las Palmas, Canary Islands
Malta
Mahon.................................x3 Weekly (NEW for summer 2006!)
Malaga................................x2 Daily
Milan...................................(NEW starts April!)
Murcia.................................x2 Daily
Newquay..............................(NEW direct service starts April)
Nice....................................x1 Daily
Palma..................................x2 Daily
Paris...................................x4 Daily
Paphos, Cyprus.....................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Pisa, Italy............................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Plymouth.............................x1 Daily via Bristol - no aircraft change.
Prague, Czech Republic...........x1 Daily
Reus
Rhodes, Greece.....................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Rome, Italy..........................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Southampton........................x6 Daily from May
Tenerife..............................(NEW scheduled service NOW FLYING!)
Varna, Bulgaria
Venice
Warsaw.............................(NEW starts April 06!)
Zakynthos, Greece
_________________________________________________________________
Main Airlines and links

Jet2.com....................here (www.jet2.com)
(Scheduled low cost flights to Belfast Int, Amsterdam, Malaga, Alicante, Mercia, Nice, Rome NEW, Pisa NEW, Milan NEW, Tenerife, Geneva, Chambery, Ibiza, Menorca NEW, Prague, Palma, Venice, Barcelona, Paris CDG & Faro.)

BMI...........................here (www.flybmi.com)
(Scheduled flights to London Heathrow, Brussels, Paris CDG, Cork, Edinburgh & Glasgow)

Eastern Airways...........here (www.easternairways.com)
(Scheduled flights to Southampton and Aberdeen)

Air South West............here (www.airsouthwest.com)
(Low cost flights to Bristol, Plymouth and Newquay)

Ryanair......................here (www.ryanair.com)
(Low cost flights to Dublin)
FlyBe.........................here (www.flybe.com)
(Low cost flights to Southampton, Exeter and Bergerac NEW!)

KLM............................here (www.klm.com)
(Scheduled flights to Amsterdam and beond)

My Travel...................here (www.mytravel.com)
Astraeus.....................here (www.flyastraeus.com)
(Holidays throughout Europe, on behalf of www.thomascook.com, www.airtours.com. Destinations including Majorca, Funchal, Cyprus, Menorca, Benidorm, Costa Del Sol, Costa Brava, Corfu NEW, Zante NEW, Rhodes NEW, Crete NEW)

ThomsonFly.................here (www.thomsonfly.com)
(Holidays throughout Europe)

British Jet...................here (www.britishjet.com)
(Holidays to Malta)

Air Malta.....................here (www.airmalta.com)
Air Europa...................here (www.aireuropa.com)
Balkan Holidays............here (www.balkanholidays.com)
(Holidays to Varna and Bourgas)

Central Wings..............here (centralwings.com)
(Schedule low cost flights to Warsaw NEW!)

BMI comfirmed today that it will axe the LBA-JER route completely.

I am personally very happy with this decision, hopefully they will do the same with Leeds-Cork, another route they have single handedly pissed up the wall over the last couple of years with over pricing.

Maybe now BMI have come off the Jersey route completely, this releases the last obsticle in the way of LBA Marketing getting a more suited operator for the route.

BMI comfirmed today that it will axe the LBA-JER route completely.

I am personally very happy with this decision, hopefully they will do the same with Leeds-Cork, another route they have single handedly pissed up the wall over the last couple of years with over pricing.

Maybe now BMI have come off the Jersey route completely, this releases the last obsticle in the way of LBA Marketing getting a more suited operator for the route.

I was informed today that BMI are looking at a couple of new routes exit LBA. (I shall not be holding my breath!) Likewise I have to agree that this was the best decision BMI have made for a while. It's a real shame that they can't pull their finger out and get BMIbaby onto the none business routes Jersey and Cork. I was told today that there is no need to do that as BMIbaby are at Manchester and Durham Tees Valley. Funny though that Jet2 can operate from both Manchester and Leeds? Jet2 claim that both sides of the Pennines are completely different markets.

I just hope it isn't BMI that are going to operate the new German service because it will probably go tits up like the Copenhagen service, that they were going to operate twice before.

I would not hold your breath for any German routes ex LBA at the moment. Lufthansa have the monopoly on this ex MAN and have the policy of the "100 mile circle", so forget leeds for a long while, same goes for SAS and Copenhagen. BMI, as a STAR ALLIANCE company are subject to the fact that that cannot operate a route into Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway or Austria, even as a direct code share, without the consent of all major SA partners, (and even with loss liability by BMI themselves), from Lufthansa, SAS, Austrian Airlines Group, or Air Canada.

BMI have tried before with FRA, CPH and MUC from LBA, but got no further than slot appications, (ex CPH which actually appeared in the system for 3 weeks until SAS said no way to a code share and joint liability!). Most people know BMI, will not take a risk route (ie one they take the risk on themselves, and certainly not their SA shareholders), more so if it involves a fellow SA hub.

Jet2 handed back the LBA-DUS slot mid Dec, claiming it was too much of a risk, and not part of their core "leisure pax" strategy. Lack of inbound business/leisure to Yorkshire is a stalling point for any non "Europe wide" airline brand to break this region. A point I agree totally.

There are no other credible canidates to operate an effective German route effectively from Yorkshire. Don't forget you need 5 routes to service the key economic and leisure areas of Germany, Dusseldorf/Cologne (Rhine Ruhr), Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, before you can claim you have "a German service".

Forget BMIbaby on Jersey and Cork, they'll just let the West Yorkshire pax go to Manchester. Problem solved.

I would not hold your breath for any German routes ex LBA at the moment.

Ed Anderson has been quoted to have said that Leeds will be getting a German service, announcement expected shortly.

BMI have tried before with FRA, CPH and MUC from LBA, but got no further than slot appications, (ex CPH which actually appeared in the system for 3 weeks until SAS said no way to a code share and joint liability!). Most people know BMI, will not take a risk route (ie one they take the risk on themselves, and certainly not their SA shareholders), more so if it involves a fellow SA hub.

What LBA really needs is another new airline that can recognize the potential of Leeds, which can in turn start new business services without the claws of the Star Alliance or any other alliance interfering. At one stage I thought Leeds would never get a low cost service, Jet2 recognized the potential that LBA has and they are now reaping the rewards.

There are no other credible canidates to operate an effective German route effectively from Yorkshire. Don't forget you need 5 routes to service the key economic and leisure areas of Germany, Dusseldorf/Cologne (Rhine Ruhr), Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, before you can claim you have "a German service".

There is no reason why an airline shouldn't get a good split between business and leisure on routes such as Berlin. Maybe we are too inward looking without considering the possibility of a German carrier?

Forget BMIbaby on Jersey and Cork, they'll just let the West Yorkshire pax go to Manchester. Problem solved.

This will in turn leave LBA open to other operators to start a service there. I firmly believe that this will happen.

Germany without doubt will be the hardest nut for LBA to break.

Quote "there is no reason why an airline shouldn't get a good split between business and leisure on routes such as Berlin."

Berlin is a leisure route, there is very little business as such in Berlin. For a route such as Berlin (or any major German city in reality) to be successful, it requires a 50/50 split of UK originating pax and German originating pax. Jet2 are unheard of in Germany, so marketing costs at that end could jeopardise any potential revenure from the route. This is the same reason why Jet2 abandoned their plans to serve Dusseldorf, (even though there is a potential of greater business traffic on this route than Berlin). A German carrier would suffer the same problem at the UK end. Don't forget, most Germans have heard of Manchester, but not many have heard of Leeds.

Ed Anderson's comments re a German service were referring to Jet2 Dusseldorf. This is now not going to happen.

Can you suggest a German carrier that would be interested in Leeds?

Germanwings - LH now have the controlling interest. Unlikely want to dilute the LH MAN operation
HLX - Intrenched in Manchester (still struggling with yield from there)
Air Berlin - Definately not (I know I work for them)

There are no other suitable German carriers. (Perhaps Cirrus with FRA or DUS, but they would need an LH codeshare to make it work. Unlikely to get one).

No UK carriers are suitable, perhaps Easyjet with a W out of their SXF base, but I would guess that is a longshot, although ideal.

I am sure that Isle of Man and Jersey are routes that will eventually be restarted with some carrier, but the likelyhood of that happening for this summer seem to becoming more remote as most airlines have now just about finalised their summer programmes now. Euromanx or Aer Arann are the ideal candidates for Isle of Man, but do you think they are going to think of putting money into a Leeds operation at the moment whilst they are trying to fund their current bloodbath on their Liverpool and Manchester operations?

Eastern Airways have announced a 6xweekly Inverness service commencing 24th April.

can you guys just list what scheduled airlines operate from LBA or are most of the airlines charter routes and locos?

airlines operating scheduled services ex LBA:

BMI
Air Southwest
Jet2.com
Ryanair
Eastern Airways
KLM
Centralwings
Flybe

so if u take out all the locos then that leaves

BMI, Air Southwest, Eastern Airways, KLM

you guys need to try and attract some more scheduled services

so you don't class airlines such as Ryanair or Flybe as operating scheduled services?

What is your definition of a scheduled service? it seems to be different to how the industry defines it.

no no, im not saying the loco are not scheduled...i was just wondering how many full priced scheduled services u had...it is often those that will secure an airports future if it wants to be anything other than a sunshine airport......

has BA ever based there and are there rumours for anything else to base there...i dont know...the likes of lufthanser for example?

The amount of full priced scheduled airlines does not secure an airports future. (What is a full priced airline btw? I guess you mean full service airlines, (which is btw very very few operating short haul services in and out of the UK).

Airports futures are secured by a number of factors including the following:
1, Revenue per passenger (passenger fees/landing fees etc paid by the airline to the airport) - the biggest diminishing factor to an airports revenues since the loco revolution.
2, Secondary revenues (retail rents, share of profits from retail/food and drink outlets, car parking etc).
3, Tertiary revenues (land leasing to hotels/office units etc).
and there are others.

If we were to take the assumption that an airports success is due to the number of full "price" airlines, then airports such as Liverpool, Stansted, Luton, East Midlands, Prestwick (and many more including Bristol and Newcastle) would have been bankrupt many years ago. I am sure you will agree that these airports have had their fair share of success and all of them (including Leeds and others) have a very bright future. Manchester and Birmingham would never have had to go flat out and attract a loco carrier(s) to keep their market share and revenues incoming had it not been for the damage the loco's did to the full "price" airlines. Don't forget, BA has axed 6 routes out of Manchester in the last 6 months! Just for the hell of it, and because I'm a Yorkshireman, Doncaster would never have even got off the drawing board.

BA have based at LBA before, both as Mainline back in the 70's and 80's and as BA CitiExpress during the late 90's and early 00's. If you are using BA as an example of a full "price" airline, then you need to understand that as of 26th April 2006 they will convert their CitiExpress operation to a "loco" operating model, with the same frills as say Ryanair or Easyjet on and off the aircraft. To put that in perspective, then that is all of Birmingham's BA operation and 99% of Manchester's converting to that model, put's the full "price" concept as you describe it into perspective somewhat don't you think?

There are many rumours of new airlines/bases at all UK airports all the time including LBA, some happen some don't, that is the nature of the business.

dont get me wrong, i was talkin about long term future as a business airport....... again, i said this was different to a sunshine airport which can be equaly successfull

i get your point, i was just curious as i find it interesting with airports that support themselves mainly on locos and chaters.... airports that support soley on locos stand to suffer when/if the loco bubble burst and i was just wondering if LBA had anything to fal back on....because as u say, the likes of liverpool and east mids stand to suffer the most

why is the loco bubble going to burst, sure some companies might go toi the wall but people will always fly to good destinations at reasonable prices

well yes, but air capacity, taxation of fuel, increased fuel prices, environment restrictions...the locos are not going to last for ever

correct all locs will not last the strongest will survive ....

why is the loco bubble going to burst, sure some companies might go toi the wall but people will always fly to good destinations at reasonable prices

The loco bubble won't burst...but the nature of it is evolving... personally i am now avoiding the likes of Ryanair... you get no help if your flight is pulled (unlike traditional carriers) and they have too many hidden charges which makes the lo-co claim a bit shallow.

With BA and BMI offering a better quality service I am now leaning more to them.. until they decide flying abroad means you have no luggage like Ryanair....dumb!

Lo-co is the bus
Mainline is like taking your car??

flown with ryanair apprx 20 times, never had a delay. Never paid more than £50 for a return... have heard the horror stories... you pay your money you take your chance the likes of BMI BA will never get close to ryanair on cost as they are still full airlines assuming the guise of loco's eirther of which has managed to make their short haul operation make a profit since the advent of Ezy and Ryanair.

The consumer is king at the moment... great choice and great value!

Fair enough.

... if you end up stuck in Easern Europe, nightmare, delayed at Manc/LPL then just go home...

it's all about insurance.... done BA, AA, Ryanair, Jet2, BMI Baby, Easyjet etc etc... no problems but then again I do insure my car,house etc it's what happens when/if I guess!

Can you get seperate flight insurance for a year? There must be a market for people who want cheap but with some kind of backing?

You beat me to it Luftlachrichten on the Eastern announcement. Here's the updated list of available 'Scheduled' and charter services.

Leeds Bradford International, the airport on Leeds and Bradfords doorstep!


Schedule service only
Charter/holiday service only
Both scheduled and charter services
_________________________________________________________________

Aberdeen............................x3 Daily
Acapulco, Mexico.................(Selected dates only)
Alicante..............................x3 Daily
Amsterdam..........................x5 Daily
Barbados, Carribean..............(Selected dates only)
Barcelona............................x1 Daily
Belfast City.........................x3 Daily
Belfast International.............x2 Daily
Bergerac.............................NEW for summer 2006!
Bodrum...............................(NEW! starts May 2006)
Bourgas, Bulgaria
Bristol................................(NEW three times daily from April!)
Brussels.............................x3 Daily
Chambery...........................(NEW seasonal service!)
Corfu, ...............................(Additional flights for summer 2006!)
Cork..................................x1 Daily
Dalaman, Turkey
Dublin................................x3 Daily
Dusseldorf...........................(NEW Scheduled Service starts 8th May)
Edinburgh...........................x4 Daily
Exeter...............................x1 Daily
Faro, Portugal.....................x1 Daily
Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
Funchal, Maderia
Geneva..............................(Seasonal)
Glasgow.............................x3 Daily
Heraklion, Greece
Ibiza..................................x4 Weekly
Inverness.............................(NEW scheduled service starts 24th April)
Innsbruck
Jersey..................................x 1 Weekly
Lanzarote, Canary Islands
London Heathrow..................x4 Daily
Larnaca, Cyprus
Las Palmas, Canary Islands
Malta
Mahon.................................x3 Weekly (NEW for summer 2006!)
Malaga................................x2 Daily
Milan...................................(NEW starts April!)
Murcia.................................x2 Daily
Newquay..............................(NEW direct service starts April)
Nice....................................x1 Daily
Palma..................................x2 Daily
Paris...................................x4 Daily
Paphos, Cyprus.....................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Pisa, Italy............................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Plymouth.............................x1 Daily via Bristol - no aircraft change.
Prague, Czech Republic...........x1 Daily
Reus
Rhodes, Greece.....................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Rome, Italy..........................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Southampton........................x6 Daily from May
Tenerife..............................(NEW scheduled service NOW FLYING!)
Varna, Bulgaria
Venice
Warsaw.............................(NEW starts April 06!)
Zakynthos, Greece
_________________________________________________________________
Main Airlines and links

Jet2.com....................here (www.jet2.com)
(Scheduled low cost flights to Belfast Int, Amsterdam, Malaga, Alicante, Mercia, Nice, Rome NEW, Pisa NEW, Milan NEW, Tenerife, Geneva, Chambery, Ibiza, Menorca NEW, Prague, Palma, Venice, Barcelona, Paris CDG, Faro & Dusseldorf NEW)

BMI...........................here (www.flybmi.com)
(Scheduled flights to London Heathrow, Brussels, Paris CDG, Cork, Edinburgh & Glasgow)

Eastern Airways...........here (www.easternairways.com)
(Scheduled flights to Southampton, Aberdeen and InvernessNEW)

Air South West............here (www.airsouthwest.com)
(Low cost flights to Bristol, Plymouth and Newquay)

Ryanair......................here (www.ryanair.com)
(Low cost flights to Dublin)
FlyBe.........................here (www.flybe.com)
(Low cost flights to Southampton, Exeter and Bergerac NEW!)

KLM............................here (www.klm.com)
(Scheduled flights to Amsterdam and beond)

My Travel...................here (www.mytravel.com)
Astraeus.....................here (www.flyastraeus.com)
(Holidays throughout Europe, on behalf of www.thomascook.com, www.airtours.com. Destinations including Majorca, Funchal, Cyprus, Menorca, Benidorm, Costa Del Sol, Costa Brava, Corfu NEW, Zante NEW, Rhodes NEW, Crete NEW)

ThomsonFly.................here (www.thomsonfly.com)
(Holidays throughout Europe)

British Jet...................here (www.britishjet.com)
(Holidays to Malta)

Air Malta.....................here (www.airmalta.com)
Air Europa...................here (www.aireuropa.com)
Balkan Holidays............here (www.balkanholidays.com)
(Holidays to Varna and Bourgas)

Central Wings..............here (centralwings.com)
(Schedule low cost flights to Warsaw NEW!)

It appears from a number of my sources that the Dart Group aviation division (aka Jet2) are to relocate its entire headquarters from Bournemouth to Leeds.

Nice, excellant news if true, they could take one of the new office units in the new airport business park.

Nice, excellant news if true, they could take one of the new office units in the new airport business park.

Airline to make Leeds Bradford International its main base and Head Quarters
Yes, I can confirm that the employees of the Dart Group, the company behind Jet2.com based at Bournemouth have been told within the last week that they are to relocate to Leeds Bradford International Airport, which will become the airlines new Head Quarters for Jet2.com. The old name of Channel Express will no longer be used and I understand that jet2 will now become the companys trading name.

Decided to get my lazy bum around to the Airport West site today. The project is coming along nicely with several of the units now under construction.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/airport_west_3v.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/airport_west_3w.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/airport_west_3x.jpg

You never know, perhaps one of the units could become the new HQ for Jet2.com

Went past the airport yesterday; the units look quite small. Are they? Sometimes things turn out bigger than what they look like under construction.

There is a document on the Rushbond website which gives a good overview of the masterplan for the site, also a couple of renders for some of the units.

It does mention "supporting retail facilities", but makes no mention of specific retail units in the document.

Airport West (http://www.rushbond.co.uk/pdf_files/5960_Airport%20West%20Brochure.pdf)

The development should hopefully, from a visual perspective make the airport site look more dense, particularily from the A658 approaches.

Leeds No.1, luftnachrichten posted this link a while back.

Airline announces new German service flying from Leeds Bradford International Airport

The airline Jet2.com has announced today that from May 8th it will be flying from Leeds Bradford International Airport to the German city of Dusseldorf.

The flights will operate daily Monday to Friday and on a Sunday departing Leeds at 1800 arriving back 2130. More details available www.jet2.com

Germany without doubt will be the hardest nut for LBA to break.

Ed Anderson's comments re a German service were referring to Jet2 Dusseldorf. This is now not going to happen.


Who says luftnachrichten?

Full story :)

Key German Route To Kick-Off For Jet2.com!
8 March 2006

Yorkshire Set For First Ever Low Cost Route To Germany


Philip Meeson, boss of low cost airline Jet2.com today unveiled the city of Düsseldorf, Germany as the airline’s latest destination and described it as opening up a major European country not served direct from the Yorkshire region – prices initially start from £10 each way including tax, with flights commencing 8 May, 2006.

Although football fans will be delighted that the new route – initially a daily service – starts in time for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, it is great news for business and leisure travellers seeking easy and low cost access to Germany.

The route from Leeds Bradford International Airport to Düsseldorf International Airport is being launched with a joint Jet2.com and Yorkshire Tourist Board marketing campaign in Germany.

Almost one million euros is being invested in the campaign in the Ruhr region aimed at encouraging business and leisure travellers to visit the Yorkshire region.

During the launch at ITB in Berlin, the largest travel trade show in the world, Philip Meeson said: “There has been huge demand from business and leisure travellers for a scheduled service to Germany – until now Germany was the last major EU country that wasn’t accessible direct from Leeds Bradford, so it is fantastic news that we can announce this today.

“To celebrate the launch of Düsseldorf we are offering every seat on every flight for the first two weeks of operation for just £10 each way inclusive of taxes, flights must be must be booked by 15 March – so log on to Jet2.com now!

“We will be offering a daily service from Leeds Bradford, with a late afternoon departure, ideal for the business traveller who wants a day in the office in the UK and a full day of business in Germany, at low cost prices.

“It is a great place for business and Düsseldorf has more foreign companies with registered offices than any other German city, so we expect strong demand from Yorkshire businesses travelling across the water and vice-versa.

“We’re confident that leisure travellers will flock to the city, and not just for the delights of the Old Town, its lively nightlife, the German beers, the Christmas markets and Rhine river cruises – it’s an ideal gateway to the Rhine-Ruhr region and offers excellent, high speed links to many destinations, with more than 350 rail connections to places such as Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich.”

Also announced today was a major inbound tourism campaign in Germany. Mr Meeson added: “Together with Yorkshire Tourist Board, we are launching a major marketing campaign aimed at raising the awareness of Yorkshire in the Rhine-Ruhr region and encouraging as many Germans as possible to come and visit our wonderful county.

“There are 9 million people within a 50 km journey of Düsseldorf Airport so we are not underestimating the value that this route will bring to inward investment in the region.”

David Andrews, Yorkshire Tourist Board’s chief executive, said: “In partnership with Jet2.com we are investing more than £600,000 in marketing this service in Germany.

“The campaign will focus on the Ruhr region and we will target a mix of business and leisure travellers. The value of this market should not be underestimated – 26% of all visitors to Britain from Germany come from the Düsseldorf area.

“The World Cup presents us with a golden opportunity, not everyone in the Rhur is relishing the idea of wall-to-wall football and the chance to take a break from it all will be a temptation many will find hard to resist.”

Ed Anderson, managing director of Leeds Bradford International Airport, said: “We are delighted to see the first scheduled service from Yorkshire to Germany. This will be of particular benefit to business travellers from this region, who currently have to go across the Pennines for a direct service.”

The city centre of Düsseldorf is filled with restaurants and taverns, connected via pedestrian alleyways. There is an Old Town as well as more modern developments with excellent shopping and an art market that is second only to nearby Cologne.

Düsseldorf Airport has its own train station, with hundreds of onward connections throughout Germany and beyond.

There are some similarities in the two regions: like Leeds is to London, Düsseldorf is regarded as the leading centre for legal services in Germany outside Frankfurt. What’s more, it has been placed 13th in the world-wide list of the best cities for companies to be in and seventh in another world list for its quality of life.

Meanwhile, the diversity Yorkshire has to offer, from its cities, Dales and Moors, to its coastline and its economy are being highlighted to German travellers and it is hoped that the inbound traffic generated as a result is among the highest on any of Jet2.com’s 21 routes from Leeds Bradford.

To launch the route Jet2.com is offering every seat on every flight for the first two weeks of operation for just £10 one way inclusive of taxes – the offer must be booked by 15 March. Subsequently, fares will start from £19.99 one way inclusive of taxes.

ENDS

Another updated destination list...as LBIA welcomes Germany to its portfolio.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/german_flag1.jpg

Leeds Bradford International, the airport on Leeds and Bradfords doorstep!


Schedule service only
Charter/holiday service only
Both scheduled and charter services
_________________________________________________________________

Aberdeen.............................x3 Daily
Acapulco, Mexico...................(Selected dates only)
Alicante, Spain........................x3 Daily
Amsterdam...........................x5 Daily
Barbados, Carribean...............(Selected dates only)
Barcelona.............................x1 Daily
Belfast City...........................x3 Daily
Belfast International..............x2 Daily
Bergerac, South France...........(NEW for summer 2006!
Bodrum, Turkey.....................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Bourgas, Bulgaria
Bristol.................................x3 Daily
Brussels..............................x3 Daily
Chambery, France..................(seasonal)
Corfu, Greece
Cork...................................x1 Daily
Dalaman, Turkey
Dublin.................................x3 Daily
Dusseldorf, Germany............(NEW Scheduled Service starts 8th May)
Edinburgh...........................x4 Daily
Exeter................................x1 Daily
Faro, Portugal......................x1 Daily
Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
Funchal, Maderia
Geneva...............................(Seasonal)
Glasgow..............................x3 Daily
Heraklion, Greece
Ibiza, Balearic Islands............x4 Weekly
Inverness............................(NEW scheduled service starts 24th April)
Innsbruck
Jersey..................................x 1 Weekly
Lanzarote, Canary Islands.......(NEW Scheduled service to start)
London Heathrow..................x4 Daily
Larnaca, Cyprus
Las Palmas, Canary Islands
Malta
Mahon, Balearic Islands..........(NEW for summer 2006!)
Malaga................................x2 Daily
Milan...................................(NEW starts April!)
Murcia.................................x2 Daily
Newquay..............................(NEW direct service starts April)
Nice....................................x1 Daily
Palma, Balearic Islands.............x2 Daily
Paris...................................x4 Daily
Paphos, Cyprus.....................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Pisa, Italy............................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Plymouth.............................x1 Daily via Bristol - no aircraft change.
Prague, Czech Republic...........x1 Daily
Reus, Spain
Rhodes, Greece.....................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Rome, Italy..........................(NEW for summer 2006!)
Southampton........................x6 Daily from May
Tenerife, Canary Islands...........x2 Weekly
Varna, Bulgaria
Venice, Italy
Warsaw, Poland.....................(NEW starts April 06!)
Zakynthos, Greece
_________________________________________________________________
Main Airlines and links

Jet2.com....................here (www.jet2.com)
(Scheduled low cost flights to Belfast Int, Amsterdam, Malaga, Alicante, Mercia, Nice, Rome NEW, Pisa NEW, Milan NEW, Tenerife, Geneva, Chambery, Ibiza, Menorca NEW, Prague, Palma, Venice, Barcelona, Paris CDG, Faro, Dusseldorf NEW, & Lanzarote NEW).

BMI...........................here (www.flybmi.com)
(Scheduled flights to London Heathrow, Brussels, Paris CDG, Cork, Edinburgh & Glasgow)

Eastern Airways...........here (www.easternairways.com)
(Scheduled flights to Southampton, Aberdeen and InvernessNEW)

Air South West............here (www.airsouthwest.com)
(Low cost flights to Bristol, Plymouth and Newquay)

Ryanair......................here (www.ryanair.com)
(Low cost flights to Dublin)
FlyBe.........................here (www.flybe.com)
(Scheduled low cost flights to Southampton, Exeter and Bergerac NEW!)

KLM............................here (www.klm.com)
(Scheduled flights to Amsterdam and beond)

My Travel...................here (www.mytravel.com)
Astraeus.....................here (www.flyastraeus.com)
(Holidays throughout Europe, on behalf of www.thomascook.com, www.airtours.com. Destinations including Majorca, Funchal, Cyprus, Menorca, Benidorm, Costa Del Sol, Costa Brava, Corfu NEW, Zante NEW, Rhodes NEW, Crete NEW)

ThomsonFly.................here (www.thomsonfly.com)
(Holidays throughout Europe)

British Jet...................here (www.britishjet.com)
(Holidays to Malta)

Air Malta.....................here (www.airmalta.com)
Air Europa...................here (www.aireuropa.com)
Balkan Holidays............here (www.balkanholidays.com)
(Holidays to Varna and Bourgas)

Central Wings..............here (centralwings.com)
(Schedule low cost flights to Warsaw NEW!)

Went past the airport yesterday; the units look quite small. Are they? Sometimes things turn out bigger than what they look like under construction.

Just checked the sizes of the units on Airport West, there are 9 in total.

1 x 6000 SQ FT. (the smallest)
3 x 8000 SQ FT.
1 x 10000 SQ FT.
2 x 12000 SQ FT.
1 x 16000 SQ FT.
1 x 25000 SQ FT. (the largest)

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/airport_west_3sm.jpg

hmm ok. Well I can't actually use ft ¬_¬ but from a guess 25,000sq. ft is substantial. Well whatever size it is it can't realyl be bad I suppose!

Divide by 10 roughly to convert into sq mtrs you metric tart.

tart! Imperial is the posh one aint it?

tart! Imperial is the posh one aint it?

are you suggesting tarts are posh people? believe me, i've had a fright waking up to a few of them in my time and seldom are they posh.

Well I dunno really. I suppose they can be any social class. But still how does whether you use metric/imperial change anything! Metric is just official standard and easiest. so..yeah. I never really understood imperial anyway; its too hard!

Oh dear, i've really started something here, does it really matter? I was brought up using both, i don't care which I use. Perhaps this conversation could go to the skybar! Can we get back on topic?

Confirmation of Jet2's move north and news of a new destination soon.....


From Leedstoday.net

Jet2.com lands 150 new jobs at airport
Business with Nigel Scott

EXCLUSIVE
LOW cost airline Jet2.com is planning to increase staff in Leeds by as much as 50 per cent this year as it establishes a new head office at Leeds Bradford Airport.
The move will create 150 new jobs in the city.
Between 30 and 40 staff will transfer to Leeds from Bournemouth, where Jet2's backroom functions have been based to date along with those of parent company, the Dart Group.
Weather
New and existing staff will be based in a two storey office building which has been built at Leeds Bradford Airport, taking staff numbers from the current 300 to around 450.
Chief executive, Philip Meeson, said the airline would begin advertising for the new posts shortly.
These would include operational posts responsible for making sure the airline ran smoothly - from making sure passengers got home in bad weather to organising crewing rosters.
The airline was constantly looking to recruit aircrew, he added.
Mr Meeson said the airline business was thriving and he was delighted to be confirming Jet2's commitment to Leeds and the North by relocating the head office to the city.
Support
"We see ourselves as a Yorkshire-based operation. Up here is where you will find me.
"We have had great support from Leeds Bradford Airport and I would like to think we are giving something back," he told the YEP.
Jet2's origins belong in Bournemouth.
In 1983, Mr Meeson bought a transport business which specialised in flying in flowers from the Channel Islands and delivering them by lorry across the UK.
Other Dart Group acquisitions have included logistics companies Fowler Welch and Coolchain which have since been merged into one operation based out of Spalding in Lincolnshire.
The flower business "died", Mr Meeson's words, around five years ago as globalisation brought cheaper competition from other countries.
Jet2 has been a story of expansion since its first service took off from Leeds to Amsterdam early in 2003.
It has increased its fleet and the number of UK airports it operates from and has grown its network of overseas routes t o 23.
A 24th destination is due to be unveiled tomorrow.
The Dart Group, which has around five staff, will retain its offices in Bournemouth.

16 March 2006

any guesses of the new destination?

any guesses of the new destination?

No guess required really, it's already on their search engine.

Jet2.com are to announce later today that they are to operate scheduled flights from Leeds Bradford International Airport to Lanzarote. :cheers:

bout timw they took propper use of all those new 757s they just got, 1 flight to tenerife wouldnt b worth the money...good to see emexpanding

Airline announces it's 24th route.

Its official! Jet2.com have annouced today that they will be operating a twice weekly scheduled service to the Canary Island of Lanzarote. Flights are to operate on a Thursday and Sunday departing Leeds at 09:30. Flights will start in November. More details on www.jet2.com

I flew in from Dublin today, I'm sure the plane nearly overshot the runway.....

I flew in from Dublin today, I'm sure the plane nearly overshot the runway.....

It was St Patrick's day yesterday, maybe the pilot had a hangover?! :runaway:

Jimbo will remember this one.....

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/Tristar_overrun.jpg

Remember these things don't happen often, so don't have nightmares.

.........he was on it!

It was St Patrick's day yesterday, maybe the pilot had a hangover?! :runaway:

Jimbo will remember this one.....

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/Tristar_overrun.jpg

Remember these things don't happen often, so don't have nightmares.

Ho ho! Honestly Smartcity, we had to make a sharp, fast turn to avoid the end of the runway, halfway down the runway the brakes went on so hard that the missus slammed her head into the lunch tray, which BTW, was hilarious...

One word: Fit.

LBA Reaches Brand New Egyptian Heights with Peltours
30 March 2006

Independent operator Peltours, have today announced that they are to commence a brand new flight to the Egyptian airport of Taba this coming winter from Leeds Bradford Airport. The flight, which will be operated by Astraeus Airlines, will depart every Thursday from the 5th October for 6 weeks and offers a perfect opportunity for those wanting to grab some winter sun in an area never before served from Yorkshire’s Premier Airport.

Peltours has been tailor making quality holidays since 1920 and was one of the first companies to offer tours of the Holyland. In addition, the company is also a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators which is an exclusive organisation that works to ensure that its members are conforming to a strict code of conduct, providing a high quality level of service to its clients and work in an ethical manner.

Taba is the gateway to Taba Heights, one of Egypt’s newest and relaxing holiday resorts, which is perfect for those seeking sunshine, relaxation and watersports. Surrounded by the red of the mountains, Taba is one of the most picturesque resorts on the Red Sea. With numerous secluded bays, coves and lagoons waiting to be discovered and shallow reefs accessible straight from the beach, it is the ideal place to learn to dive or snorkel. With a courtesy shuttle direct from the hotels to Waterworld, the local PADI Gold Palm water-sports and diving centre, the underwater world is your oyster.

Darren Panto, Sales & Marketing Director for Peltours said: “As a specialist, we believe that our employees must have excellent knowledge of all the resorts and hotels we offer. With this in mind, all our staff have first hand knowledge of our product. If we do not know the answer to a query, we will endeavour to find someone who does.”

“There are top quality hotels in Taba Heights, including the already popular Marriott Beach Resort Taba Heights, and the low prices offer unbeatable value for money. With average temperatures of around 27 degrees in October, this is just too good to miss.”

ENDS

Notes:
For availability and bookings contact Peltours on 020 8371 5200, www.peltours.com or your local ABTA travel agent.

LBA Reaches Brand New Egyptian Heights with Peltours
30 March 2006, taken from LBIA website

Independent operator Peltours, have today announced that they are to commence a brand new flight to the Egyptian airport of Taba this coming winter from Leeds Bradford Airport. The flight, which will be operated by Astraeus Airlines, will depart every Thursday from the 5th October for 6 weeks and offers a perfect opportunity for those wanting to grab some winter sun in an area never before served from Yorkshire’s Premier Airport.

Peltours has been tailor making quality holidays since 1920 and was one of the first companies to offer tours of the Holyland. In addition, the company is also a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators which is an exclusive organisation that works to ensure that its members are conforming to a strict code of conduct, providing a high quality level of service to its clients and work in an ethical manner.

Taba is the gateway to Taba Heights, one of Egypt’s newest and relaxing holiday resorts, which is perfect for those seeking sunshine, relaxation and watersports. Surrounded by the red of the mountains, Taba is one of the most picturesque resorts on the Red Sea. With numerous secluded bays, coves and lagoons waiting to be discovered and shallow reefs accessible straight from the beach, it is the ideal place to learn to dive or snorkel. With a courtesy shuttle direct from the hotels to Waterworld, the local PADI Gold Palm water-sports and diving centre, the underwater world is your oyster.

Darren Panto, Sales & Marketing Director for Peltours said: “As a specialist, we believe that our employees must have excellent knowledge of all the resorts and hotels we offer. With this in mind, all our staff have first hand knowledge of our product. If we do not know the answer to a query, we will endeavour to find someone who does.”

“There are top quality hotels in Taba Heights, including the already popular Marriott Beach Resort Taba Heights, and the low prices offer unbeatable value for money. With average temperatures of around 27 degrees in October, this is just too good to miss.”

ENDS

Some excellent new there. I understand the airport and Astraeus have worked very hard to get this one, if it successful I think we will be seeing many more services like it.

Doh! You beat me to it!

Muhahaha

Another updated destination list...as LBIA welcomes Egypt to its portfolio.

http://photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/egypt_flag.jpg

Leeds Bradford International, the airport on Leeds and Bradford's doorstep!

_________________________________________________________________

Aberdeen..............................4 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/easternairways_logo.jpg
Acapulco, Mexico....................Selected Dates Only http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/thomsonfly_logo.jpg
Ops by Fred Olsen
Alicante, Spain.......................2 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
...........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
............................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/thomsonfly_logo.jpg
Amsterdam.............................2 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
..............................................3 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/klm_logo.jpg
Barbados, Carribean.................Selected dates only http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/thomsonfly_logo.jpg
Ops by P&O Cruises
Barcelona..............................1 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
Belfast City............................3 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/flybe_logo.jpg
Belfast International................2 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
Bergerac, South France............1 x Weekly Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/flybe_logo.jpg
NEW starts 27th May
Bodrum, Turkey.......................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/onur_logo.jpg
NEW for summer 2006!
Bourgas, Bulgaria.....................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/balkan_logo.jpg
Bristol...................................3 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/airsouthwest_logo.jpg
Brussels................................3 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bmi_logo2.jpg
Chambery, France...................1 x Daily Seasonal.. http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
...........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
Corfu, Greece.........................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
...........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
Cork, Ireland..........................1 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bmi_logo2.jpg
Dalaman, Turkey.....................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/thomsonfly_logo.jpg
...........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/sunexpress_logo.jpg
Dublin...................................3 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/ryanair_logo.jpg
Dusseldorf, Germany................1 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
NEW Scheduled Service starts 8th May
Edinburgh..............................4 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bmi_logo2.jpg
Exeter..................................1 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/flybe_logo.jpg
Faro, Portugal........................1 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
...........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/firstchoice_logo.jpg
...........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
Fuerteventura, Canary Islands..1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/futura_logo.jpg
Funchal, Maderia....................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
Geneva................................2 x Daily Seasonal http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
Glasgow...............................3 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bmi_logo2.jpg
Heraklion, Greece...................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
NEW for summer 2006!
Ibiza, Balearic Islands.............4 x Weekly Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
..........................................2 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/thomsonfly_logo.jpg
..........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
Inverness.............................1 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/easternairways_logo.jpg
NEW scheduled service starts 24th April
Innsbruck.............................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/austrian_logo.jpg
Jersey.................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/airsouthwest_logo.jpg
Lanzarote, Canary Islands......NEW Scheduled service http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
NEW starts winter 06/07
.........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/iberworld_logo.jpg
London Heathrow..................4 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bmi_logo2.jpg
Larnaca, Cyprus....................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
Las Palmas, Canary Islands......1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
Malta...................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/airmalta_logo.jpg
..........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/britishjet_logo.jpg
Mahon, Balearic Islands.........3 x Weekly Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
NEW for summer 2006!
..........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/thomsonfly_logo.jpg
..........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
Malaga.................................2 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
..........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/thomsonfly_logo.jpg
..........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
Milan...................................4 x Weekly Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
NEW NOW FLYING!
Murcia.................................2 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
Newquay.............................1 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/airsouthwest_logo.jpg
NEW DIRECT SERVICE NOW FLYING!
Nice....................................1 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
Palma, Balearic Islands............2 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
..........................................3 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/thomsonfly_logo.jpg
..........................................2 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/aireuropa_logo.jpg
..........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
..........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/futura_logo.jpg
Paris....................................3 x Daily Scheduled http://photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bmi_logo2.jpg
...........................................1 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
Paphos, Cyprus......................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/thomsonfly_logo.jpg
NEW for summer 2006!
Pisa, Italy.............................1 x Weekly Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
NEW Starts 26th May!
Plymouth..............................1 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/airsouthwest_logo.jpg
via Bristol - no aircraft change.
Prague, Czech Republic...........1 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
Reus, Spain...........................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
Rhodes, Greece......................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
NEW for summer 2006!
Rome, Italy...........................4 x Weekly Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
NEW NOW FLYING!
Southampton.........................3 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/easternairways_logo.jpg
...........................................2 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/flybe_logo.jpg
Taba, Egypt...........................Selected Dates Only http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
NEW Starts begining of winter 06/07
Tenerife, Canary Islands..........2 x Weekly Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
..........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/aireuropa_logo.jpg
..........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/thomsonfly_logo.jpg
Varna, Bulgaria......................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/balkan_logo.jpg
Venice, Italy.........................4 x Weekly Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
NEW NOW FLYING!
Warsaw, Poland.....................3 x Weekly Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/centralwings_logo.jpg
NEW NOW FLYING!
Zakynthos, Greece.................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg _________________________________________________________________

Main Airlines and links

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg ....................here (www.jet2.com)
(Scheduled low cost flights to Belfast Int, Amsterdam, Malaga, Alicante, Mercia, Nice, Rome NEW, Pisa NEW, Milan NEW, Tenerife, Geneva, Chambery, Ibiza, Menorca NEW, Prague, Palma, Venice, Barcelona, Paris CDG, Faro, Dusseldorf NEW, & Lanzarote NEW).

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bmi_logo2.jpg ..........................here (www.flybmi.com)
(Scheduled flights to London Heathrow, Brussels, Paris CDG, Cork, Edinburgh & Glasgow)

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/easternairways_logo.jpg ..................here (www.easternairways.com)
(Scheduled flights to Southampton, Aberdeen and InvernessNEW)

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/airsouthwest_logo.jpg ...................here (www.airsouthwest.com)
(Low cost flights to Bristol, Plymouth and Newquay)

http://photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/ryanair_logo.jpg ......................here (www.ryanair.com)
(Low cost flights to Dublin)
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/flybe_logo.jpg .........................here (www.flybe.com)
(Scheduled low cost flights to Southampton, Exeter and Bergerac NEW!)

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/klm_logo.jpg .........................here (www.klm.com)
(Scheduled flights to Amsterdam and beond)

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/mytravel_logo.jpg ..........................here (www.mytravel.com)
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg ........................here (www.flyastraeus.com)
(Holidays throughout Europe, on behalf of www.thomascook.com, www.airtours.com and Egypt with www.peltours.com Destinations including Majorca, Funchal, Cyprus, Menorca, Benidorm, Costa Del Sol, Costa Brava, Corfu NEW, Zante NEW, Rhodes NEW, Crete NEW,Taba Egypt NEW)

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/thomsonfly_logo.jpg .....................here (www.thomsonfly.com)
(Holidays throughout Europe)

http://photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/britishjet_logo.jpg ........................here (www.britishjet.com)
(Holidays to Malta)

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/airmalta_logo.jpg ........................here (www.airmalta.com)
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/aireuropa_logo.jpg ......................here (www.aireuropa.com)
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/balkan_logo.jpg .........................here (www.balkanholidays.com)
(Holidays to Varna and Bourgas)

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/centralwings_logo.jpg .........................here (centralwings.com)
Schedule low cost flights to Warsaw NEW!

That post was quite clearly to redeem yourself from my speed in delivering that news :)

i dont mean to piss on ur parade or try and bring u down, but do u guys not think u get a bit too excited???

"...Astraeus Airlines, will depart every Thursday from the 5th October for 6 weeks ..."

6 flights is hardy a new route guys....good for LBA and will boost pax figs and offer ur Pax a better choice, but for 6 flights, that not really a new route?!?!?!?

Well its still a part time route and if it goes well it could create interest among airlines in the long term. This provides solid evidence to how succesful a flight could be if LBIA were to present information to an airline to encourage flights. And that is in Autumn so if it goes well, then think what an airline could get in summer.

oh dont get me wrong, it is good news and very encouraging to LBA...but to add it on that list as a new route!?!?!hmmm???

oh dont get me wrong, it is good news and very encouraging to LBA...but to add it on that list as a new route!?!?!hmmm???

What is your definition of a new route? :nuts:

I know that they are actively trying to increase flight from LBA and I expect more from them in the future.

Is the website down atm?

Any reasons why Bradford CC are the only shareholder opposing the airport sale?

Any reasons why Bradford CC are the only shareholder opposing the airport sale?

Could it be that as soon as the Airport is sold off the Name will change to just LEEDS international Airport!?

I would suspect that may have something to do with it.

It probably wouldn't be named 'Leeds International' (although that's exactly what it should be), but it may be re-named something else, probably named after some personality like other airports.

As the summer season begins at Leeds Bradford International Airport, where should Leeds Bradford be going next?

Scheduled flights are now operating daily or weekly to most major countries throughout Europe. New scheduled flights are now operating to Rome,Dusseldorf, Milan, Pisa and Warsaw in Europe and direct services to Newquay and Inverness in the UK. Also scheduled flights now operate to the Canary Island of Tenerife which is situated to the west of the African Sahara. Weekly Charter flights will be operating once again to the European eastern limits of Cyprus and Turkey. Leeds Bradford has shown its capacity to handle traffic to places such as Lahore in Pakistan where more than 8000 people used the service before the demise of Swefly last summer.

Below is a map of the globe. Areas highlighted in red are areas which already have some kind of service. The areas in orange are places which Leeds Bradford is most likely to attract new services to. The areas marked yellow are places where the airport maybe able to serve in the years to come subject to the development of the airports Masterplan. Areas marked green are outside the capabilities of Leeds Bradford to offer a direct services. The grey areas are places unlikely to be served.

So which destinations are on your wish list? Where do you think Leeds Bradford International airport should fly to, within the boundary’s of the airports capabilities?

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/world_dest.jpg

USA, Canada, India defo.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/world_dest.jpg

Great Post. For me it's got to be the Eastern Seaboard. I work for a company that has contracts with Hardware suppliers in New York and Boston, when they come over they find it impossible to understand why they can't fly directly to Leeds.

It would be easier for them to grasp if the transport links between Manchester Airport and Leeds were any good but they are awful. Once I flew Dallas to Manchester, it took 8 hours, Manchester to Leeds took 4 hours via the Trans Pennine Express Route.

SMARTCITY, what's the attitude of LBA towards Doncaster Robin Hood? With it's longer runway won't it be looking for the long haul flights? It's only 35 mins from Leeds, closer than Manchester (airport), won't it have a big say in what long haul flights go out of Yorkshire?

Yes it does look at long haul but ultimately Leeds is bigger so it's not a major threat to the airport at the moment. It could be in the future but I don't think it will be too long before long distance flights are introduced on a large scale. Newcastle recently got its first flight to New York so if Newcastle (tiny compared to Leeds AND Bradford) can get that Im sure Leeds can.

Yes it does look at long haul but ultimately Leeds is bigger so it's not a major threat to the airport at the moment. It could be in the future but I don't think it will be too long before long distance flights are introduced on a large scale. Newcastle recently got its first flight to New York so if Newcastle (tiny compared to Leeds AND Bradford) can get that Im sure Leeds can.

Hmmm, obtuse as usual No1! I don't really know what you're getting at here, I'm thinking Doncaster is a good thing. It's miles easier to get to than Manc (airport), I don't see it as a threat at all. As for Newcastle, the airport there seemed substantially bigger than LBA on my one and only visit, more power to them I say, the airport bosses are showing ambition which must be applauded.

Great Post. For me it's got to be the Eastern Seaboard. I work for a company that has contracts with Hardware suppliers in New York and Boston, when they come over they find it impossible to understand why they can't fly directly to Leeds.

It would be easier for them to grasp if the transport links between Manchester Airport and Leeds were any good but they are awful. Once I flew Dallas to Manchester, it took 8 hours, Manchester to Leeds took 4 hours via the Trans Pennine Express Route.

SMARTCITY, what's the attitude of LBA towards Doncaster Robin Hood? With it's longer runway won't it be looking for the long haul flights? It's only 35 mins from Leeds, closer than Manchester (airport), won't it have a big say in what long haul flights go out of Yorkshire?

Firstly cheers The Oil :)

The Oil and Leeds No.1 Please check your PMs.

Oil I work with people who drive from near Halifax and York to Leeds Bradford and then say it only takes 30-35 minutes for them to get to work. Also LBA has a proven track record that it can put to airlines looking at starting new services.

Message received and understood.

I don't want to give the impression that I'm anti LBA and pro Donny, I'm pro anything that makes my air travel easier and Manc just doesn't cut it - at all (No criticism of Manc Airport, it's ace, if I lived that side of the Pennines I'd be happy as a mongoose!) - last week it took 2 hours 45 mins to get from the carousel at Manc to home which is just too long!

As for 35mins to Donny, I'll stand by that, but I live pretty close to town, once you're on the M62 you're off!!

There were rumours of a Leeds-NY flight a few months ago what happened to that?....
Also I think a major boost to the airport will be the proposed rail link hopefully that isn't too long in coming...

im gesing the rail link would arive when they do the new leeds station.

There were rumours of a Leeds-NY flight a few months ago what happened to that?....
Also I think a major boost to the airport will be the proposed rail link hopefully that isn't too long in coming...

The airport did a questionaire on its website to find out if a service to New York would be utilized. I asked marketing at the airport if they had approached any airlines about starting a service from Leeds. Apparently a number of American airlines have approached the airport with interest and are seriously considering services from Leeds. Although things appear to have gone rather quiet on the matter, possibly due to the rise in fuel charges, I believe it is still only a matter of time before somebody makes the plunge.

Another updated destination list...as LBIA welcomes another new destination to its portfolio.

Thomas Cook announces a new destination from Leeds Bradford Intl Airport.

The holiday firm Thomas Cook has confirmed that it will be operating charter flights throughout Summer 2007 to Monistir, Tunisia. It is expected that further destinations will be added at a later date.

http://photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/tunisia_flag.jpg

Leeds Bradford International, the airport on Leeds and Bradford's doorstep!

_________________________________________________________________

Aberdeen..............................4 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/easternairways_logo.jpg
Acapulco, Mexico....................Selected Dates Only http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/thomsonfly_logo.jpg
Ops by Fred Olsen
Alicante, Spain.......................2 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
...........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
............................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/thomsonfly_logo.jpg
Amsterdam.............................2 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
..............................................3 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/klm_logo.jpg
Barbados, Carribean.................Selected dates only http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/thomsonfly_logo.jpg
Ops by P&O Cruises
Barcelona..............................1 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
Belfast City............................3 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/flybe_logo.jpg
Belfast International................2 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
Bergerac, South France............1 x Weekly Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/flybe_logo.jpg
NEW starts 27th May
Bodrum, Turkey.......................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/onur_logo.jpg
NEW NOW FLYING!
Bourgas, Bulgaria.....................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/balkan_logo.jpg
Bristol...................................3 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/airsouthwest_logo.jpg
Brussels................................3 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bmi_logo2.jpg
Chambery, France...................1 x Daily Seasonal.. http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
...........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
Corfu, Greece.........................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
...........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
Cork, Ireland..........................1 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bmi_logo2.jpg
Dalaman, Turkey.....................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/thomsonfly_logo.jpg
...........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/sunexpress_logo.jpg
Dublin...................................3 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/ryanair_logo.jpg
Dusseldorf, Germany................1 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
NEW NOW FLYING!
Edinburgh..............................4 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bmi_logo2.jpg
Exeter..................................1 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/flybe_logo.jpg
Faro, Portugal........................1 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
...........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/firstchoice_logo.jpg
...........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
Fuerteventura, Canary Islands..1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/futura_logo.jpg
Funchal, Maderia....................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
Geneva................................2 x Daily Seasonal http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
Glasgow...............................3 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bmi_logo2.jpg
Heraklion, Greece...................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
NEW NOW FLYING!
Ibiza, Balearic Islands.............4 x Weekly Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
..........................................2 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/thomsonfly_logo.jpg
..........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
Inverness.............................1 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/easternairways_logo.jpg
NEW NOW FLYING!!
Innsbruck.............................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/austrian_logo.jpg
Jersey.................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/airsouthwest_logo.jpg
Lanzarote, Canary Islands......NEW Scheduled service http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
NEW starts winter 06/07
.........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/iberworld_logo.jpg
London Heathrow..................4 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bmi_logo2.jpg
Larnaca, Cyprus....................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
Las Palmas, Canary Islands......1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
Malta...................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/airmalta_logo.jpg
..........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/britishjet_logo.jpg
Mahon, Balearic Islands.........3 x Weekly Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
NEW for summer 2006!
..........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/thomsonfly_logo.jpg
..........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
Malaga.................................2 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
..........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/thomsonfly_logo.jpg
..........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
Milan...................................4 x Weekly Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
NEW NOW FLYING!
Monistir................................1 x Weekly Charter http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/lbt1_logo.jpg
NEW for summer 2007!
Murcia.................................2 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
Newquay.............................1 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/airsouthwest_logo.jpg
NEW DIRECT SERVICE NOW FLYING!
Nice....................................1 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
Palma, Balearic Islands............2 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
..........................................3 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/thomsonfly_logo.jpg
..........................................2 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/aireuropa_logo.jpg
..........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
..........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/futura_logo.jpg
Paris....................................3 x Daily Scheduled http://photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bmi_logo2.jpg
...........................................1 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
Paphos, Cyprus......................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/thomsonfly_logo.jpg
NEW NOW FLYING!
Pisa, Italy.............................1 x Weekly Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
NEW Starts 26th May!
Plymouth..............................1 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/airsouthwest_logo.jpg
via Bristol - no aircraft change.
Prague, Czech Republic...........1 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
Reus, Spain...........................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
Rhodes, Greece......................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
NEW NOW FLYING!
Rome, Italy...........................4 x Weekly Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
NEW NOW FLYING!
Southampton.........................3 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/easternairways_logo.jpg
Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt............1 x Weekly Charter http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
NEW for summer 2007!
...........................................2 x Daily Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/flybe_logo.jpg
Taba, Egypt...........................Selected Dates Only http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg
NEW Starts begining of winter 06/07
Tenerife, Canary Islands..........2 x Weekly Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
..........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/aireuropa_logo.jpg
..........................................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/thomsonfly_logo.jpg
Varna, Bulgaria......................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/balkan_logo.jpg
Venice, Italy.........................4 x Weekly Scheduled http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg
NEW NOW FLYING!
Zakynthos, Greece.................1 x Weekly Charter..http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg _________________________________________________________________

Main Airlines and links

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/jet2_logo.jpg ....................here (www.jet2.com)
Scheduled low cost flights to Belfast Int, Amsterdam, Malaga, Alicante, Mercia, Nice, Rome , Pisa , Milan, Tenerife, Geneva, Chambery, Ibiza, Menorca, Prague, Palma, Venice, Barcelona, Paris CDG, Faro, Dusseldorf, & Lanzarote.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bmi_logo2.jpg ..........................here (www.flybmi.com)
Scheduled flights to London Heathrow, Brussels, Paris CDG, Cork, Edinburgh & Glasgow

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/easternairways_logo.jpg ..................here (www.easternairways.com)
Scheduled flights to Southampton, Aberdeen and Inverness

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/airsouthwest_logo.jpg ...................here (www.airsouthwest.com)
Low cost flights to Bristol, Plymouth and Newquay

http://photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/ryanair_logo.jpg ......................here (www.ryanair.com)
Low cost flights to Dublin
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/flybe_logo.jpg .........................here (www.flybe.com)
Scheduled low cost flights to Southampton, Exeter and Bergerac

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/klm_logo.jpg .........................here (www.klm.com)
Scheduled flights to Amsterdam and beond

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/mytravel_logo.jpg ..........................here (www.mytravel.com)
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/astraeus_logo.jpg ........................here (www.flyastraeus.com)
(Holidays throughout Europe, on behalf of www.thomascook.com, www.airtours.com and Egypt with www.peltours.com Destinations including Majorca, Funchal, Cyprus, Menorca, Benidorm, Costa Del Sol, Costa Brava, Corfu, Zante, Rhodes, Crete,Taba Egypt

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/thomsonfly_logo.jpg .....................here (www.thomsonfly.com)
Holidays throughout Europe

http://photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/britishjet_logo.jpg ........................here (www.britishjet.com)
Holidays to Malta

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/airmalta_logo.jpg ........................here (www.airmalta.com)
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/aireuropa_logo.jpg ......................here (www.aireuropa.com)
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/balkan_logo.jpg .........................here (www.balkanholidays.com)
Holidays to Varna and Bourgas

lovely African addition :) North Africa is a good starting point in expanding out of Europe!

The construction firm Bentleys have started work on the long awaited extension of the aircraft parking apron at Leeds Bradford International Airport. Initially 4 aircraft parking stands of phase 1 will be constructed. The project is expected to take 8 Months to complete. The airport is looking at eventually increasing the number of stands to around 30 from 18.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/ac_parking.jpg http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/overlay_bravo.jpg

lovely :) Will show that it as an expanding airport and be more attractive to larger airlines!

From the LBIA website

April ‘Showers’ Leeds Bradford With More Passengers and Even More Routes!5 May 2006

Leeds Bradford International Airport has recorded another bumper month, as April saw a 10% increase versus the same period last year with 220,179 passengers passing through the doors.

April also saw the inaugural flights from Leeds Bradford to the popular Italian destinations of Milan and Rome - both operated by low cost airline Jet2.com. We also welcomed a new airline to the region, Centralwings, who commenced their new service to the growing Eastern European market of Warsaw on 4th April.

With Scheduled passengers alone up 13% year on year, the most popular destination was Dublin with 22,587 passengers using the daily Ryanair service.

Ed Anderson, Managing Director comments, “April has also seen the launch of the early edition brochures for Summer 2007. With Thomson introducing Costa Brava, and Thomas Cook launching Tunisia – this takes the total number of direct destinations available from Leeds Bradford to 67, thus offering people even more choice when choosing to fly from the heart of Yorkshire”.

ENDS

New today.....(thought i would get it in before SMARTCITY)!!


April ‘Showers’ Leeds Bradford With More Passengers and Even More Routes!
5 May 2006

Leeds Bradford International Airport has recorded another bumper month, as April saw a 10% increase versus the same period last year with 220,179 passengers passing through the doors.

April also saw the inaugural flights from Leeds Bradford to the popular Italian destinations of Milan and Rome - both operated by low cost airline Jet2.com. We also welcomed a new airline to the region, Centralwings, who commenced their new service to the growing Eastern European market of Warsaw on 4th April.

With Scheduled passengers alone up 13% year on year, the most popular destination was Dublin with 22,587 passengers using the daily Ryanair service.

Ed Anderson, Managing Director comments, “April has also seen the launch of the early edition brochures for Summer 2007. With Thomson introducing Costa Brava, and Thomas Cook launching Tunisia – this takes the total number of direct destinations available from Leeds Bradford to 67, thus offering people even more choice when choosing to fly from the heart of Yorkshire”.

ENDS



BL

Blast and blast again........beaten to it.

BL

Panorama announces new destination from Leeds Bradford International Airport

Things are hotting up for the summer of 2007 as Panorama Holidays announce new weekly flights to Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/egypt_flag.jpg

The resort will be the second Egyptian destination available from LBA.

The weekly flights will commence in May 2007 departing Leeds Bradford International on Sundays at 11.00 returning to Leeds at 23.15 in the evening.

Blast and blast again........beaten to it.

BL
Welcome to the forum BL. BTW I am assuming from your handle that you are of the female persuasion? Great - Molly now has someone to talk to about make-up and other girly stuff.

Welcome to the forum BL. BTW I am assuming from your handle that you are of the female persuasion? Great - Molly now has someone to talk to about make-up and other girly stuff.

I am and thank you for the welcome MR. Just reading my way around the site, but tried to outdo Smartcity, seems that i have to be up with the larks (or at least the 0605 KLM to Amsterdam) to outdo him!

BL

From lbia website...


Centralwings Announcement
9 May 2006

Centralwings will cease operations at Leeds Bradford Airport as of May 25th. This decision has been taken due to the airline's expansion into new market's and fleet constraints. Anyone who has an enquiry about their booking will need to contact their travel agent or Centralwings direct on 00 48 22 558 00 45



It seems a pity, i was just brushing up on my Polish...

BL

From lbia website...


Centralwings Announcement
9 May 2006

Centralwings will cease operations at Leeds Bradford Airport as of May 25th. This decision has been taken due to the airline's expansion into new market's and fleet constraints. Anyone who has an enquiry about their booking will need to contact their travel agent or Centralwings direct on 00 48 22 558 00 45



It seems a pity, i was just brushing up on my Polish...

BL

Welcome Bradfordlass,

You beat me to it that time! Bad news, but easy come easy go. From what I can make out, the load factors were good on the service, so maybe someone else will take the service on. Centralwings just didn't have the capacity to take this route on, hence the lateness of the flights.

Come on Jet2

Im sure Jet2 will restart this route in the not too far future- it is a growing destination and really it would be silly to miss it off LBIAs destination list.

Taken from the LBIA website
New Airline Announces Isle of Man from Leeds Bradford Airport
15 May 2006

A new airline is being set up to restart air links between Yorkshire and the Isle Of Man. Manx2 will be offering up to three flights a day from Leeds Bradford Airport and is committed to providing year-round services for both business and leisure customers. It will also be launching flights between the Isle of Man, Belfast International and Blackpool.

Manx2 is the brainchild of two aviation entrepreneurs with long experience of operating regional airlines serving Island communities. Noel Hayes and James Filleul set up and ran Rockhopper (recently rebranded to Blue Islands) which last year flew more than fifty thousand passengers on nine routes to and from the Channel Islands.

Manx2’s services from Leeds Bradford to the Isle of Man will be launched on 12th August, bookings can be made through its website manx2.com from the beginning of June, alternatively by telephone through Manx2’s reservations centre on 0870 2422226 from the same time.

Manx2 will be operating a fleet of 19-seat aircraft, which are specifically designed for making short, frequent flights to neighbouring regional airports. The aircraft will all carry the company’s motto in Manx and English- “Failt erriu - You’re welcome”.

“We have many years experience in building strong routes which will serve local people all year round”, says Noel Hayes, Manx2’s Chairman. “We spotted a requirement for a strongly financed and well managed small regional airline which would open up links between Yorkshire and the Isle of Man. The two communities have strong ties, but no longer an air link, and we think the new route will be very popular not only for business people, but leisure visitors as well.”

Manx2 will be working closely with the tourism authorities to stimulate more visitors from the Isle of Man to the Yorkshire region.

“Our market research suggests that this route will be popular with local people at both ends of the route”, says Manx2 Communications Director James Filleul. “Manx2 will offer excellent customer service with some everyday low fares, and we have been working very hard on the schedules to make sure they offer a choice of flights at the times people want. Manx2 will combine the best practices of “low cost” carriers with the friendly service our passengers rightly expect.”

Chair of the Board of Directors for the airport, Cllr Stewart Golton said, “It is very pleasing that Manx2 have chosen Leeds Bradford Airport to launch this new airline. This will be good news for the leisure passenger and also for the financial sectors of the region that have strong links with the Isle of Man.”

Noel Hayes: Noel is a former successful City stockbroker who retired early to enjoy the ‘quiet’ life in Alderney; it proved to be a bit too quiet however, and he soon spotted a gap in the market for a decent modern supermarket. He soon set up his own airfreight service to overcome serious supply problems common to many islands, and that freight service soon grew into his first passenger airline, Rockhopper. From one route between Alderney and Bournemouth and one small Islander aircraft, that airline grew into what is now Blue Islands,
carrying 50,000 passengers a year on routes between all three Channel Island airports and on to the south coast of the UK, the Isle of Man and to Brittany, using a fleet of modern aircraft. Noel has now sold all his shareholding in Blue Islands.

James Filleul: James is a former BBC news editor, TV/Radio reporter and presenter. He left the corporation to set up his own communications consultancy which now has a range of major PR clients across the Channel Islands, manages some of the Islands largest public events, and trains public and private sector organisations across the world in managing their public profile.

James worked very closely with Noel to build Rockhopper from its roots flying fruit and vegetables into Alderney to winning the Jersey Tourism Award for Excellence in 2005.

ENDS

With the news today that the new giant jumbo Airbus A380 did a test landing at Heathrow, what are the chances of LBIA making giant strides ahead of the competition by equipping itself to handle the new plane, being the first/only airport in the North? Pricey, but I think it needs some ambition if it is to get further afield than European flights...

In my opinion, no chance whatsoever. The airport has a long-term plan for spending, and the aims are to bring the terminal up to scratch and the ability to accomodate more planes. There simply isnt the finance available to build the provisions for such large aircraft.

It will probably happen in the future but no time soon; concorde made its mark at Leeds. Its more likely to be Manchester first then equal chance between the other northern airports I'd say.

I guess a main aim Leeds Bradford Airport should aim for in the mid term is for direct flights to JFK and Dubai. This would allow for connecting flights to far off destinations in the Americas, Asia and Australia and both destinations in their own right would be popular destinations.

As for A380s didn't Boeing say the main trend in the future would be for more direct flights from smaller aircraft as opposed to flights from central hub airports such as London Heathrow from large planes such as A380s? How popular was that Canadian 747 service from the 1980s as shown on the picture below? Was it a white elephant im guessing?

http://www.brillmusica.com/images/images10/Misc004.jpg

It is unlikely that we will ever see the new super jumbo at Leeds, or for that matter in Yorkshire. The Boeing Dreamliner the 787 is probably going to be more feasable for smaller airports. The super jumbo A380 is for intercontinental hub airports such as Heathrow. There will be a small chance that the aircraft will be used for a small number of flights from Manchester Airport.

there really is no chance of this happening soon.....

the A380 needs a minimum 3000m runwayto land and pref a 3400m runway to take off fully loaded....... currently

heathrow (comfortably)
gatwick
Manchester
Stansted

planned

Birmingham
East mids

So how long is Leeds? I kinda thought it was very unlikely that Leeds would get the capacity for the A380, but I guess I was making the point that 'why not' - it would be such a coup for the airport and the county... These bigger planes could prove to be a mini-revolution in airtravel, and theres likely to be only few airports that are used by them. Why sit back and let Manc be the northern airport to get them?

They are planning a runway extension, but most probably not long enough for the A380.

LeedsLad:
Rwy 32/14 physical length 2250m x 46m wide, displaced thresholds on both ends gives a landing distance of 1802m on rwy 14 and 1916m on 32, clearly not suitable for an A380. Also the concrete is PCN 61, I think (need to check) that this is not strong enough for the A380. A quick back of a fag packet calculation to get 3000m LDA would be at least £35m. This figure does not include the cost of taxiway, apron development/strengthening, terminal infrastructure etc, expect that £35m to be doubled.

I really don't think this level of spending is really a good return on investment for a very very very slim chance that some airline may actually want to operate one of these into Leeds. Infact, I would consider the likely hood of any airport outside LHR (and poss LGW) getting a regular operation of the A380 is also as slim. As SMARTCITY correctly points out the A380 is designed for hub to hub operations, where as the Boeing 787 is potentially the most suitable aircraft to give smaller UK airports (including LBA) a greater chance of getting long haul routes.

If any airport in the north is likely to get the A380 on a regular operation, then it is of course Manchester (I still think that is slim), the 1hr dirving catchment area for this airport alone is 5 times that of LBA, so it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out which makes more economic sense to an airline, the 1hr catchment area alone is a pretty good pointer as to the reason why Manchester has a bigger and busier airport. The 2hr catchment area doesn't bear thinking about!

Personally, I would much prefer the airport to concentrate on securing routes to key european business centres, Madrid, Zurich, Munich, Frankfurt, Copenhagen and so on before we all dream of long haul.

Woodhousen:
Peel airports claim Doncaster can accept the A380 (although the taxiways can't).
Prestwick and Manston also have runways that they claim can take the A380.
Birmingham and East Midlands have planned runway extensions/second runways as part of their masterplans plus a recommendation in the Government White Paper on UK airport development published last year (ie the gov would not call a public enquiry). The masterplans and the White Paper are in real terms equal to wishlists. This does not automatically mean they will get built.

Val Verde:
The Wardair flights to Toronto (via Birmingham) were successful, they operated for a number of years, infact in its final year it was actually a scheduled flight rather than a charter. It only came to an end when Wardair was purchased by Canadian Airlines International, who took the decision to pull out of UK regional airports (Newcastle, Cardiff, Liverpool, Glasgow, Birmingham lost their flights at the same time, and eventually Manchester and Gatwick lost their flights a couple of years later). The Leeds - Toronto flights however continued successfully for a few more years with other airlines for tour operator Globespan, this only came to an end when Manchester airport did a deal with them to centralise their Northwest and Yorkshire operations through Manchester.

Thanks Luftnachrichten - you seem to know a lot (almost TOO much lol). I guess that answers my 'pie in the sky' question!
So will Amsterdam be handling the A380? If so Leeds will be linked to 2 A380 airport hubs (incl Heathrow) - we could do with a BA presence at LBIA though?

BA presence should be a definite aim. Its almost stupid BA aren't already at Leeds. I think they will arive once the expansion has taken place- its really too congested at the moment for them to look at I think. I hope they dont go to Doncaster Robin Hood though alternatively!

Leeds No.1:
No disrespect, judging by your posts on this thread I guess you don't really understand the UK aviation industry.

BA have had a presence at LBA under their BRAL subsidiary only a couple of years ago, they operated 5 routes, of which 3 were transferred to Eastern Airlines when BA transferred their Jetstream fleet to Eastern. Ironcally, Eastern have carried more passengers on 3 routes out of LBA in the last year, than BA carried on 5 in their final year out of the airport.

BA is the last operator that LBA needs to attract, BA only carries kudos out of London, its regional operations are a joke, just look at their retraction out of Manchester in the last 12 months due to uncompetive operations and the rebranding to BA Connect (pay on board loco copy). I would only ever want to see an LBA-LHR route from BA, to connect to a OneWorld hub, to complement the BMI LBA-LHR route for Star Alliance, and Air France-KLM to AMS for Skyteam. All the three major alliances would be covered then, leave the regional UK and European routes to more suitable carriers for the market. The likelyhood of BA giving up valuable slots at LHR to operate an LBA service is somewhat slim.

LBA is developing at a sustainable rate, it has a good lo cost/hub service mix, yes it could be better, but it is going in the right direction, Jet2 were a god send to Leeds, many airports would give their right arm if they could only get 50% of what they have done for Leeds, and it's being sustained, the arrival of Doncaster has hardly dented their operation from Leeds, despite significantly lower fares on the few comparable routes that Doncaster has, compared with LBA.

The likelyhood of Doncaster attracting BA is a bit like me walking on Mars tomorrow, it just ain't gonna happen. Take a lesson in airline yield management, then you'll understand why, and also my last paragraph. Think Ryanair and Doncaster, then you've got a perfect match.

LeedsLad:
LBA is connected to 3 A380 hubs, LHR, AMS, CDG.

I know BA used to operate at Leeds not all that long ago; and who said I meant regional routes?

I know BA used to operate at Leeds not all that long ago; and who said I meant regional routes?

Read your original post again, then read mine again, especially the first line!
If you think BA are going to operate mid or long haul out of Leeds, or Doncaster, or basically anywhere outside London, then you really have no clue.

I use LBA every other week as my job takes me all over. I have options to fly to certain destinations directly from MAN, but opt to use the KLM service from LBA which is excellent (as is their frequent flyer programme) and have never had a problem with the 40 odd flights I have used them on in the last 14 months. I would only consider using LHR if their was a One World connection, but the fact is that I have nmever got out of LHR on time and it takes longer to get into LHR than AMS due to holding stacks. Once you miss your slot out of LHR, you are scewed, wheras AMS do not seem to have this problem due to their additional runway capacity.

I have to say I would like to see a few more direct routes coming on board from LBA, such as the aforementioned business cities, but believe me the KLM route is superb and should be considered by everyone. I flew to New York recently and had an option to go direct from Manchester, but the flight (including return from LBA) was cheaper with KLM and meant that I did not have to travel to the council tip that is MAN.

Many people moan about LBIA and I have to say it could do with a major extension as the morning queues for the excellent Sausage Sarnies are getting very long, but I would always choose this option and only travel out of another airport if I cannot connect or go direct from LBA.

By the way I do not work for LBA or KLM despite how it may look.

I wonder if this is going to be 'the way forward'?... Airbus seem confident that longhaul will operate out of the large hubs like LHR and AMS in large numbers, perhaps with connecting flights from regional airports?...
Luftnachrichten how come you know so much?

Luftnachrichten how come you know so much?

Well he must be working in aviation industry, I suppose, you don't learn this sort of things reading forums. :wink2:

Thanks for a excellent round-up, luftnachrichten!

LeedsLad:
Rwy 32/14 physical length 2250m x 46m wide, displaced thresholds on both ends gives a landing distance of 1802m on rwy 14 and 1916m on 32, clearly not suitable for an A380. Also the concrete is PCN 61, I think (need to check) that this is not strong enough for the A380. A quick back of a fag packet calculation to get 3000m LDA would be at least £35m. This figure does not include the cost of taxiway, apron development/strengthening, terminal infrastructure etc, expect that £35m to be doubled.

I really don't think this level of spending is really a good return on investment for a very very very slim chance that some airline may actually want to operate one of these into Leeds. Infact, I would consider the likely hood of any airport outside LHR (and poss LGW) getting a regular operation of the A380 is also as slim. As SMARTCITY correctly points out the A380 is designed for hub to hub operations, where as the Boeing 787 is potentially the most suitable aircraft to give smaller UK airports (including LBA) a greater chance of getting long haul routes.

If any airport in the north is likely to get the A380 on a regular operation, then it is of course Manchester (I still think that is slim), the 1hr dirving catchment area for this airport alone is 5 times that of LBA, so it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out which makes more economic sense to an airline, the 1hr catchment area alone is a pretty good pointer as to the reason why Manchester has a bigger and busier airport. The 2hr catchment area doesn't bear thinking about!

Personally, I would much prefer the airport to concentrate on securing routes to key european business centres, Madrid, Zurich, Munich, Frankfurt, Copenhagen and so on before we all dream of long haul.

Woodhousen:
Peel airports claim Doncaster can accept the A380 (although the taxiways can't).
Prestwick and Manston also have runways that they claim can take the A380.
Birmingham and East Midlands have planned runway extensions/second runways as part of their masterplans plus a recommendation in the Government White Paper on UK airport development published last year (ie the gov would not call a public enquiry). The masterplans and the White Paper are in real terms equal to wishlists. This does not automatically mean they will get built.

Val Verde:
The Wardair flights to Toronto (via Birmingham) were successful, they operated for a number of years, infact in its final year it was actually a scheduled flight rather than a charter. It only came to an end when Wardair was purchased by Canadian Airlines International, who took the decision to pull out of UK regional airports (Newcastle, Cardiff, Liverpool, Glasgow, Birmingham lost their flights at the same time, and eventually Manchester and Gatwick lost their flights a couple of years later). The Leeds - Toronto flights however continued successfully for a few more years with other airlines for tour operator Globespan, this only came to an end when Manchester airport did a deal with them to centralise their Northwest and Yorkshire operations through Manchester.

Do you happen to know what the LDA for BRS is given that the runway there is 2011m x 46m which is shorter than that at LBA? With that in mind BRS has
secured holiday flights to Cuba, Porto Plata and Orlando with First Choice Holidays for next summer?

On the plus, it is looking likely that LBA will have new flights to SSH for next summer.

Do you happen to know what the LDA for BRS is given that the runway there is 2011m x 46m which is shorter than that at LBA? With that in mind BRS has
secured holiday flights to Cuba, Porto Plata and Orlando with First Choice Holidays for next summer?

On the plus, it is looking likely that LBA will have new flights to SSH for next summer.

LDA?
BRS?
SSH?

FFS!!!! WTF? Give us a clue! :)

BRS = Bristol?
SSH = ?

LDA?
BRS?
SSH?

FFS!!!! WTF? Give us a clue! :)

I know, I hate that too! ;)