Leeds Bradford International Airport - Thread 2

[Leeds No.1]

3m should be easily achievable this rolling year. 2013 itself though... well have to wait and see. The BA flights should help quite a bit though, and Monarch will hopefully bring up numbers.

[Leeds rules]

Looks like last weeks 2 new route announcements for next summer 2014 season have gone un-noticed on here for some reason.

Jet2 are to launch a new once weekly service to Fuerteventura with flights commencing from Friday, April 4th http://www.jet2.com/News/Venture_to_..._Jet2holidays/

Meanwhile Thomson Holidays announced a new once weekly service Antalya in Turkey with flights commencing from Friday, May 2nd. http://communicationcentre.thomson.c...atori-14f.aspx

[Leeds rules]

It looks like Monarch Airlines have further expansion plans for its new Leeds-Bradford Airport base. The airlines managing director, Kevin George has predicted that its annual passenger numbers could rise from 200,000 to 300,000 next year in this mornings Yorkshire Post and that the growth was expected to be driven by a combination of new routes and more frequent flights to its current destinations.

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/busin...port-1-5628863

Monarch predicts 50pc rise in passengers from airport



By Greg Wright
Deputy Business Editor
Published on 30/04/2013 08:12

THE managing director of Monarch Airlines yesterday predicted that its annual passenger numbers from Leeds-Bradford Airport could rise from 200,000 to 300,000 next year.

Kevin George, Monarch’s MD, said the growth was expected to be driven by a combination of new routes and more frequent flights to its current destina- tions.

Mr George said that many UK consumers were protecting their leisure spending, and, in some cases, deciding to spend money on a holiday while making economies elsewhere.

Last year, Monarch revealed that it planned to create up to 200 jobs at Leeds-Bradford, after naming it as its sixth UK base.

The airline is introducing 12 new routes this year, and it has also decided to run its winter service to Munich all-year round.

The new list of services, which are primarily aimed at leisure travellers, include scheduled flights to Barcelona, Rome, Larnaca (Cyprus) and Tenerife.

Mr George, who was visiting Leeds Bradford to welcome the airline’s new recruits, said yesterday: “We believe that the West Yorkshire and Leeds area provides an excellent customer base for Monarch’s products.

“Combined with Leeds Bradford airport, we will provide great service for customers in Leeds and West Yorkshire.”

He said Monarch was still seeing “excellent demand” despite the tough economic climate, with good levels of bookings.

The new flights from Monarch started in March.

The roles created as a result of the announcement include jobs for pilots, baggage staff and airport personnel.

Mr George said he would like to see the jobs going to local people.

Last year, John Parkin, the chief executive of Leeds-Bradford, said that improvements under way at the airport were behind its success in attracting new airlines, including Monarch.

British Airways (BA) revived services between Leeds Bradford and Heathrow in December, after a gap of more than 30 years.

Earlier this year, BA’s chief executive, Keith Williams, said that BA expected to improve links between Leeds-Bradford and the world’s fast growing economies in the coming years.

Mr Williams made the comments during a speech at the Leeds York & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce’s annual dinner at the Queens Hotel in Leeds.

BA’s Flights to and from Leeds-Bradford recently moved from Terminal 1 at Heathrow to the flagship Terminal 5.

[Leeds No.1]

That's good to hear. Monarch have some pretty exciting destinations from other airports, so if they can bring some of these to Leeds - even if that's a few years away yet - it'll be great for the airport.

[Leeds rules]

More good news, Jet2 have today just announced yet another new service from Leeds/Bradford Airport for next summer 2014 season.

Commencing from Tuesday, May 6th 2014 jet2 will offer once weekly flights to the Greek Island of Kos in direct competition against rival Irish low fares airline Ryanair whom already operate the route on a once weekly basis with flights every Wednesday.

[oyster]

Flights to Belfast from LBA with Jet2 are to cease completely at the end of June, despite currently being daily.

Jet2 to end daily Leeds Bradford flights to Belfast

Flights between Leeds Bradford Airport and Belfast operated by Jet2 are to be discontinued at the end of June.

The company currently runs daily flights to and from Northern Ireland but said there was "no longer a demand" for the service.

It said bookings for the route, on which the firm used Boeing 737-300 aircraft, would stop on 30 June.

Passengers intending to travel on the route beyond that date should make alternative arrangements, Jet2 said.

'Difficult decision'
In a statement, Jet2 said: "There is no longer the demand for the service which is why we've taken the difficult decision to stop the route."

Passengers who have flights booked for 1 July 2013 onwards are being notified to allow alternative travel arrangements to be made.

The airline apologised for any inconvenience caused, but said affected passengers would be given a full refund and also a 10% discount off their next flight with Jet2.

The company said the decision did not affect any of the other 48 routes it operated from the West Yorkshire airport.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-22541118

[mode1]

Ah well Flybe are filling the gap.

http://www.leedsbradfordairport.co.u...5-14-flybe-bhd

[world_rep]

Do we know where the B737 will be used instead? Quite a short route from LBA to BFS so assuming a bit of re-shuffling will be taking place to accommodate a new route?

[Leeds No.1]

Intriguing, but perhaps not a bad thing. There's regular flights to Belfast City; far better located for most people's needs, and with similar prices.

More importantly for Jet2, it means that aircraft could be redeployed on a more exciting route!

[Loiner's Girders]

I'm pretty staggered to be honest. I spent two years living in Northern Ireland and used the route regularly (until July 2011). It was always busy and often completely full.

[Val Verde]

Certainly a loss to lose flights to Belfast International considering I would have thought that would be useful for serving the western end of Northern Ireland to the west of Belfast wheras Belfast City is better for Belfast itself and the east of Belfast? Could it be a sign of Jet2 no longer wanting to fly to any domestic destinations even where there are decent loadings or possibly due to sour grapes due to Jet2 having to stop flying to Belfast International for two days as a result of a runway resurfacing? http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/bu...-29267611.html

Jet2.com said on Monday it was pulling its Belfast International to Leeds Bradford service a month after the airline stopped flying the route for two days, citing concerns over a runway resurfacing scheme. In early April it said its planes had suffered "engine-related problems" three times in three weeks – when work on a resurfacing programme had been disrupted due to adverse weather conditions.

However United and easyJet, which also operate from the International, did not report any problems.

Still at least it is good to see the addition of an extra daily FlyBe flight to Belfast City, however aren't FlyBe struggling considering they are selling off their London Gatwick slots to another airline (quite likely EasyJet) in addition to once promosing a Leeds Bradford hub which they never launched as well as dropping services from Leeds Bradford such as London Gatwick, Exeter and Aberdeen. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-22510071

As for flights to Ireland, there really does need to be more routes opened imo especially to Cork and Shannon.

[Leeds No.1]

I'm sure if the need for more Irish connections is identified, the airlines will start the routes.

I don't feel it's an area the airport should be targeting for route expansion though. Away from Dublin, Ireland is extremely rural and the airport would be much better focusing efforts into securing links to major European cities such as Frankfurt, Madrid, St. Petersburg and so on, as well as the long term goal of transatlantic flights.

Leeds needs to raise its European and international reputation. It won't do that with a route to Cork.

[Leeds rules]

Originally Posted by world_rep

Do we know where the B737 will be used instead? Quite a short route from LBA to BFS so assuming a bit of re-shuffling will be taking place to accommodate a new route?

Well if there is any slack to pick up in the summer schedule it will be extra flights from jet2's Belfast Int'l base not Leeds/Bradford. As I understood that as from July all 6x weekly Belfast-Leeds flights were due to be operated by a either the 2x Belfast based Boeing 737-300's not a Leeds based aircraft....