Leeds Bradford International Airport - Thread 2

[traffordboy]

Ah, but it's easy to pick up from Manchester for free if you know the chink in the armour!!

[LNGCats]

Pretty sure at Manc airport you are directed to the free drop off and pick up zones in T1 (level 5 in the multistorey car park) and T3 (alongside the taxi rank near the arrivals exit).

Dunno about T2, not used it for years.

[cmj]

Originally Posted by SmartCity

Example 1 KLM Departure on the 7th May returning on the 11th - £212.22
Example 2 Ryanair Departure on the 7th May returning on the 11th - £51.04

So, you would all prefer only having KLM as the option but without the £2.00 car park charge? I know which I would prefer.

Here are some comparisons...

Where were you going? KLM can be cheaper to Amsterdam than Jet2 on those dates (depending on the times), if you want to take a bag. Ryanair don't do LBA-AMS, so anywhere they go would be two flights with KLM.

[blackdog]

Originally Posted by SmartCity

Firstly I don't represent the airport at all.

The £2:00 parking charge has done the rounds more time than I care to remember. If you go to any other airport they will more often than not cleverly feed you straight into a car park where similar charges will apply. If you drive to any station, city centre or event there will usually be a parking charge, so why should an airport be any different?

I have no problems with short term parking charges (although not the ones below tend to be £1 minimum) but from experience I have dropped people at Manchester and Stansted without paying a fee and AFAIK none of the airports I have ever been to charge taxis to wait or drop off apart from LBIA.

[SmartCity]

Originally Posted by cmj

Where were you going? KLM can be cheaper to Amsterdam than Jet2 on those dates (depending on the times), if you want to take a bag. Ryanair don't do LBA-AMS, so anywhere they go would be two flights with KLM.

Sorry cmj, I can't believe I mist the destination off it was Malaga.

[oyster]

Currently in LBA's departure lounge - horribly busy, cramped and very scruffy and run down. If this is how the place is in mid winter, summer must be hell. it's crying out for total redevelopment.

[Leeds rules]

Originally Posted by oyster

Currently in LBA's departure lounge - horribly busy, cramped and very scruffy and run down. If this is how the place is in mid winter, summer must be hell. it's crying out for total redevelopment.

Hence the reason for all the building work that is taking place up at LBA now. I guess you must have noticed it?

[Leeds No.1]

The current work is only the internal work isn't it? There's no actual physical extension underway is there currently?

I'm hoping that Bridgepoint will fund an extension of the lounge along the apron for more seating near gates.

[Val Verde]

Any recent pics showing the state of these works to the terminal (difficult of course considering secure environment of an airport) although I thought there might be some contractor pics somewhere?

Also an exhibition will open next week celebrating the 80th anniversary of Leeds Bradford Airport. http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.u...port_1_4260319

Wonder if there will be anything interesting as part of it (in addition to new stuff not known before regarding the airports history, present and future)? Also pics from Flickr of a Lancaster Bomber and Eurofighter Typhoon flying past Leeds Bradford Airport on it's anniversary last year.

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr

[oyster]

Originally Posted by Leeds rules

Hence the reason for all the building work that is taking place up at LBA now. I guess you must have noticed it?

Yes I saw it and indeed this will hopefully see some minor aesthetic improvements (although it doesn't seem to be a complete overhaul - the toilets, for example, are very small and scruffy and I saw nothing that suggested they'd be revamped). However, as LN1 says, they're essentially just doing up an already cramped and inadequate space. They massively need to press on with expansion.

[mode1]

There is loads of work being done and has just got underway properly at the start of January. A whole floor area is being constructed above check hall A . This is now in place and connects now into the 1968 terminal building which will in turn lead to the new World Duty Free shopping area and Camden Food Co catering area which replaces the food village. That whole new floor area will increase the passenger departures area by well over 60%.Back across at the original security screening area, this is being increased by 40% and has had a new lift shaft put in and the esculator that took people up to the old food village is being removed and put in place next to the new lift shaft after the screening zone. The work to the terminal extention to the terminal front has been said by the airport authorities is to go ahead once passenger numbers exceed 4 million passengers. There is a very good site I can recommend that has a lot of airport supporters and workers as members. This is Forums4airports.com and there is all the news on there of current works and a brilliant set of pictures of the current works taken by the guy who set up the site. There is also all the other airport news on there as well as other airports listed. I find that a place to stop and catch up with news that's been added in the most by reliable sources

[Val Verde]

Yorkshire firms have been urged to back expansion of London Heathrow Airport. http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.u..._Heathrow_bid/

Surely any expansion of London Heathrow airport would only significantly benefit Yorkshire if either flights to Leeds Bradford Airport are restarted with the construction of a third runway or if there is a High Speed Rail link to Heathrow airport with both of course being years if not decades away from taking place.

Surely a better short term solution would be to introduce more connecting flights with other European hubs such as Paris CDG with Air France or Frankfurt with Lufthansa in addition to perhaps improving existing hub links to Amsterdam and Brussels as well as perhaps in the long term encouraging flights to other European hubs such as Dublin, Madrid, Zurich, Vienna and Copenhagen in addition to long haul links such as Toronto, New York and Dubai.

Is there any more news on BMI wanting to operate a Leeds Bradford - Frankfurt route or has that idea being killed off with Lufthansa's sale of that airline?

Also bad news with FlyBe axing their Leeds Bradford - Aberdeen service with the flight moving over to Manchester and leaving only Eastern Airways on that route.

[cmj]

Originally Posted by Val Verde

Yorkshire firms have been urged to back expansion of London Heathrow Airport. http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.u..._Heathrow_bid/

Surely any expansion of London Heathrow airport would only significantly benefit Yorkshire if either flights to Leeds Bradford Airport are restarted with the construction of a third runway or if there is a High Speed Rail link to Heathrow airport with both of course being years if not decades away from taking place.

Utterly stupid. We already have good connections via Amsterdam (and Brussels). We should work on expanding these, perhaps adding another hub.

London centric spin from BAA to try to get support for something that we don't need and likely won't benefit us at all.

[Leeds No.1]

I agree. Why does our hub have to be at Heathrow, particularly when airports like Amsterdam are superior.

I'd like to see connections into hubs at Frankfurt and Madrid. I hope it's not too far-fetched to hope for a connection to hubs at Dubai and New York either, although I fear the use of the A380 at Manchester threatens any more connections from northern cities. Having said that, when I last flew to Dubai I went from Newcastle as flights were cheaper than Manchester.

[Leeds No.1]

Video: Behind the scenes at Leeds Airport’s new extension
29 February 2012

BOSSES at Leeds Airport today unveiled the soon-to-be-finished extension to the terminal building.

The new areas will include an enhanced duty free shop, new bars and an all-weather terminal to take passengers from the departure lounge to their flights.

Airport chief executive John Parkin admitted last year that passenger facilities were “unacceptable” and that improvements were needed to cope with a hoped-for increase in passenger numbers from 2.95m to five million a year.

He said the building programme, to be completed by summer, was an “important milestone” but the long-term aim is to attract more airlines, increase the frequency of flights and the range of destinations.

“We want to attract more airlines – to do that we have to have the capacity and the facilities. Last summer the passenger experience through our airport was unacceptable and it’s time to fix it.”

The airport operates direct services to over 70 destinations in 22 countries but the aim is to add at least another 30 destinations.

He said “big gaps” in the destinations being served, particularly Germany, needed to be filled. An airport spokesman said the £11m was part of a phased investment plan of £70m over 10 years, announced in 2008.

Councillors welcomed the £11m investment when it was announced, but some called for better transport links to the site at Yeadon.

Councillor Dawn Collins, who represents Horsforth on Leeds City Council. She said: “The transport links to the airport are totally inadequate. If we’re going to see more people using the airport we need to see better road and rail links. The airport needs to consider what it can do to improve these links, while minimising the impact on local people, if it wants to increase passenger numbers.”

Guiseley councillor Paul Wadsworth added: “If the airport is serious about becoming one of the UK’s major airports, and attracting big international airlines, it needs to work with the council, and central government, to get better infrastructure.”

[Shiny_Dave]

Doesn't explicitly state LBIA but the underlying sentiment is relevant to LBIA:

Government urged to allow airport expansion

Seventy business leaders, MPs and trade unionists have called on the government to support airport expansion, including at Heathrow.

In a letter to the Sunday Telegraph, they say: "With the economic recovery so fragile, we cannot afford to cut our country off from growth and jobs."

The government has ruled out a third runway at Heathrow, but says it is exploring all other options.

A review of airport capacity is due to report later this month.

The letter to the newspaper includes the signatures of Len McCluskey, the general secretary of the Unite trade union, and Simon Walker, the director general of the Institute of Directors.

It claims Heathrow airport is falling behind Paris and Frankfurt, which, it says, offer 1,000 more flights a year to the three largest cities in China.
Emerging markets

"There are 21 emerging market destinations with daily flights from other European hubs that are not served from Heathrow," the letter points out.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote

As the chancellor made clear in his autumn statement, we will explore all the options for maintaining the UK's aviation hub status with the exception of a third runway at Heathrow”

Department of Transport

The letter does not explicitly refer to a third runway at Heathrow, in west London, but suggests expansion is essential.

"There is a huge opportunity for the UK to lead in connectivity to growth markets, but we need a hub solution that has the capacity to compete if we are to seize it," the letter says.

"Growth won't wait - while there are more ambitious long-term projects for aviation that can be examined, in the near term Heathrow must continue to be part of the solution if the UK is not to miss out on vital trading opportunities.

"With economic recovery so fragile we cannot afford to cut our country off from growth and jobs."

In its coalition agreement, the government said it would cancel plans for a third runway at Heathrow and refuse permission for additional runways at Gatwick, in Sussex, and Stansted, in Essex.

The decision followed widespread opposition from councils, residents and green groups. The Conservatives and Lib Dems had both opposed the plan in opposition, preferring improved rail links instead.
Thames estuary

A spokeswoman at the Department of Transport told the BBC: "As the chancellor made clear in his autumn statement, we will explore all the options for maintaining the UK's aviation hub status with the exception of a third runway at Heathrow."

Transport Secretary Justine Greening is expected to announce a new airport capacity review later this month, including the possibility of a new airport on reclaimed land in the Thames estuary.

In January a group of more than 30 Conservative MPs called on the coalition to rethink the decision to rule out a third runway at Heathrow.

But in October Ms Greening said she would not reconsider a third runway at Heathrow, and Labour has also said it is "off the agenda".

Auntie

[cmj]

Looks like more pressure for expansion in the London airports rather than anything related to LBA or even MAN.

[Leeds No.1]

http://www.jet2holidays.com/city-breaks.aspx

Jet2 will be offering New York again this Christmas.

[Val Verde]

Airport stats for 2011 have been released with Leeds Bradford Airport just missing out on the 3 million passengers per annum mark with a total figure of 2,976,881 for the year (an all time record). So with several new routes lauched this year could Leeds Bradford finally break past this barrier or could the fragile state of the economy make this unlikely? http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?ca...geid=3&sglid=3

Still interesting to see the top 20 destinations which include:

1. NETHERLANDS AMSTERDAM 233580 4.524097194
2. SPAIN ALICANTE 224811 19.48943091
3. SPAIN MALAGA 223217 14.95483525
4. SPAIN PALMA DE MALLORCA 190989 16.15498765
5. IRISH REPUBLIC DUBLIN 177517 1.291268673
6. PORTUGAL FARO 127954 11.17444154
7. SPAIN MURCIA SAN JAVIER 99089 -5.185248976
8. SPAIN BARCELONA 94584 78.16791305
9. SPAIN TENERIFE (SURREINA SOFIA) 92277 32.66958047
10. NORTHERN IRELAND BELFAST INTERNATIONAL 82685 0.261916608
11. NORTHERN IRELAND BELFAST CITY (GEORGE BEST) 82294 14.62996769
12. FRANCE PARIS (CHARLES DE GAULLE) 77715 5.937921727
13. SPAIN ARRECIFE 67486 54.15153384
14. ENGLAND SOUTHAMPTON 66072 -6.090367794
15. SPAIN IBIZA 61122 -0.608169637
16. GERMANY DUSSELDORF 53466 1.708263582
17. POLAND KRAKOW 50787 33.08264766
18. CZECH REPUBLIC PRAGUE 50383 9.442610131
19. ITALY VENICE 48502 64.66474283
20. SWITZERLAND GENEVA 47256 61.15127541

Certainly Barcelona has benefited from the loss of flights to Girona Airport although interesting to note significantly increased numbers to the likes of Tenerife, Arrecife, Krakow, Venice and Geneva undoubtedly a sign of increased flights from the likes of Ryanair and (on the Geneva route) Easyjet. It will certainly be interesting to see how popular new destinations such as Berlin and Budapest will be from Leeds Bradford Airport.

On other notes it is however of some concern that PIA passengers from Leeds Bradford - Islamabad have fallen under 30,000 a fall of some 15% which would raise questions over the future of that route, particularly with the EU looking likely to ban PIA from European Airspace it would surely be curtains for that route and effectively gives away any demand on that route to the Gulf carriers (none of which operate from Leeds Bradford Airport). http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-New...ty-certificate

Also some domestic routes such as the Isle of Man (decline of 48% to 3,336) and Aberdeen (a decline of 93% to 531) is certainly concerning. How come has Aberdeen had such a significant drop considiering I would have thought demand would have been consistant considering oil industry and large distance from Leeds? Also I can imagine Exeter and to a lesser extent Bristol sucking up a lot of demand to flights lost from Plymouth and Newquay to Leeds Bradford Airport due to the closure of Air South West and Plymouth Airport.

Also particularly telling that the protests in North Africa have of course led to a collapse on figures to Egypt and Tunisia with flights to the likes of Sharm el Sheikh and Monastir swiftly axed.

[cmj]

Originally Posted by Val Verde

Also some domestic routes such as the Isle of Man (decline of 48% to 3,336) and Aberdeen (a decline of 93% to 531) is certainly concerning. How come has Aberdeen had such a significant drop considiering I would have thought demand would have been consistant considering oil industry and large distance from Leeds?

Aberdeen may be down as it's now only Eastern flying there, whereas before it was also a BMI (IIRC) route (EXT-LBA-ABZ). However 93% is a big drop.