Using Leeds Bradford Airport Questions & Reviews

[Galaxy]

Getting to LBIA with a First Day Rider...

Hi All, I need to get from Leeds City Centre to LBIA tomorrow using a First buses day rider, can anyone tell me which buses to get? I don't think I can use a day rider on the 'posh' airport bus...

 

[Bigman]

Re: Getting to LBIA with a First Day Rider...

You can if you pay an extra £0.70 evidently.

 

[Galaxy]

Re: Getting to LBIA with a First Day Rider...

Thanks Bigman, you've answered what Google hasn't for me!

 

[masere]

Re: Getting to LBIA with a First Day Rider...

If you can't use a Dayrider on the 757 the only other thing is to get the 33a and get off at the lights near the Premier Inn and walk the rest.

 

[Galaxy]

Re: Getting to LBIA with a First Day Rider...

I ended up missing the bus I went for by 1 minute, as my bus from Cookridge took 50 minutes to get to the bus station! So in the end I had to get a bus back to Horsforth and then a taxi, because if I'd waited for the next 757 bus it would have got me there for 12:40, when I had a 12:30 meeting. 40 minutes for the airport express service is pretty pathetic to be honest. I can drive from Cookridge to Barnsley in that time.

 

[masere]

Re: Getting to LBIA with a First Day Rider...

Galaxy are you saying that in order to get from Cookridge to LBA you got a bus from Cookridge to Leeds in order to catch a bus from Leeds to the airport???? That seems a bit much! Especially seeing as how you missed the 757 to LBA and had to catch another bus and then a taxi. Wouldn't it have been simpler, and ultimately cheaper, to just get a taxi from Cookridge to LBA?

 

[Galaxy]

Re: Passengers & Frequent Flyer [QUESTIONS]

Yes of course it would! I had to go to town to meet someone though.

 

[Bigman]

Re: Passengers & Frequent Flyer [QUESTIONS]

Don't forget you can always get a 97 from the Old Ball and change in Yeadon if that's any use.

 

[pinkheart]

verdict on LBA!!

well, we're back of holiday and feeling blue - weather really not helping! i said i'd report back on our experiences of LBA, so...........

firstly - excellent travel advice from you lot on which route to take. we took about an hour and a quarter from the house to the parking (LBA carwatch - super-quick and v nice! and only waited about 2mins for minibus on the return journey which was 2hrs late!).

As we didn't need to check in, we went straight thru' security (no queue!yay!!). Bloke who checks the boarding pass was lovely and friendly but sadly the lady who checked me over after i 'beeped' wasn't! ( i don't expect jokes but a little acknowledgment may've been nice!).

Disappointed that w h smiths, airside, didn't sell butties as i'd saved vouchersfor the occasion (and i mistakenly thought yates was airside - more vouchers!) As it was, we spent a fortune on a butty each for the journey and a butty for lunch + coffee. (£20ish - horrendous!). As there was no competition, we were stuck with it!

It was all very crowded and squashed and oddly higgledy-piggledy.

Gate 5 is in a weird place - 1st time we queued for the gate thinking we were going into cafe, next time we were nearly herded into the cafe as we waited at the same gate!! Seemed to confuse everyone. Then, OMG, the ridiculous up;along;down;along;up;out etc etc to get to the plane was crazy.....but at least there was a lift for those who couldn't use the stairs - unlike the return trip, into the same building, with similar ups and downs....but no lift!! ( as we didn't need one, we don't know so there may've been a different route for disabled etc).

security on return was brilliant, quick and efficient.

Now, that's all our comments - i think!! HOWEVER, we did rather like the airport - it was small and easy to get to, relatively stress free and we didn't have to walk for a week to get there like at MAN!! I know that there's building work/improvements going on so I'm hoping it'll solve some of the mad bits (and make it a bit more like DSA - which had the advantage of being built from new more recently but which is v compact and easy to get round - or MLA which is small but perfectly formed!).

All in all, we'd both recommend LBA to anyone who asked. Really hope i've not upset any fans cos you were fab - tho' i'm sure you'll let me know if you think i was being unduly harsh!!

also hope i've posted in the right place - there didn't seem to be a bit for passenger comments, only questions. Appologies if i've got it wrong.

 

[Aviador]

Re: verdict on LBA!!

I would say your review of LBA was very accurate. Thank you for taking time to post it and I hope you will visit Forums4airports again in the future.

It's my fault with regards to the thread title bit so I'll get the thread name changed.

 

[Runway 32]

Re: verdict on LBA!!

Welcome back to the UK Pinkheart. I hope you had a good holiday.

All your comments like Aviador has said are very accurate of the current conditions at LBA but at least our local airport still offers mainly a good overall experience. Lets just now hope that the building work commences soon to give passengers more choices in shops/food outlets and most of all a better experience (oh and not forgetting the possibility of more based airlines and routes).

 

[White Heather]

Re: verdict on LBA!!

Hi again Pinkheart. I hope you enjoyed your hols in Gozo. Thanks for posting your thoughts on our small but not beautifully formed airport. I too think you have been very fair and outlined the bad bits and some of the good bits. Now you can see why we need our big, shiny new terminal extension, and quick. Once it is in place a lot of issues will be resolved, although one of them is not the way back into the airport or the baggage reclaim area, as that is being left for later development. Still, progress takes time.

I had expected that when comparing LBA to DSA you would think little of our airport, since DSA is brand new, and lets face it, under-used, so it is going to look good for some time to come. LBA is looking tired now as more and more people pack into what is not a very big area, but in my view there is still something nice about it - espcially the fact that we have so many more flights to choose from now. Frankly I can't see that happening any time soon at DSA - in fact the number of flights appears to be diminishing.

I hope you will fly LBA again and stay with us on the forum.

PS Which route did you take to and from the airport then??? And how were your Ryanair flights?

 

[pug]

Returned from Dublin last night after flying out on wednesday morning. First time ive passed through the airport before.

I thought it was a good experience, it took me 1 hour ten minutes to travel from my house going via the guisley route from the city centre (though the roads were quiet both ways) and the same on the way back.

The departures lounge did seem smaller than i expected, though perhaps i didnt see it all as i noticed there were more gates towards the arrivals building? But it was everything i expected in an airport that has experienced incremental growth and building to match.

Very smooth experience both ways (despite the return flight being delayed and having to wait at the gate at Dublin for an hour) and i will consider LBA more in the future (as long as i cant go from HUY ) but it would be good to see some movement in the terminal extention.

 

[White Heather]

Cheers Pug for that. I am glad you were not disappointed with your experience. It can only get better once we get the terminal expansion.

Incidentally, if you went via Guiseley from Humberside, you went way past the airport as Guiseley is actually 2 miles beyond the airport on the A65 out of Leeds. Are you sure you didn't take the Otley Road (A660) to Pool cross roads then the A658 from there down to the airport or the A65 to Rawdon lights then the A658 from there up to the airport?

 

[pug]

I didnt actually reach Guisley, think it was the 65 though and turned up the road to the airport (under the tunnel) at a cross roads. You will know where i mean im sure.

All in all it went smoothly, and only carrying hand luggage i was happy to find that we did not need to pass through passport control on return, so were straight out of the terminal and on the bus to the car in minutes.

As you will know i fully support in angrowth of routes from HUY, but i would still consider using LBA again in the future should i not get what i want from HUY.

 

[Seasider]

I said a couple of weeks ago (somewhere on the forum) that I would relate my experience (for the 3rd time this year) of using LBA.
Outbound flight to AGP on Sat 20 Nov, sailed through security (approx 9.30am), great choice of seats upstairs in the lounge, superb service from the JET2 crew.
Inbound from AGP Thu 25 Nov, arrived 20 mins late, disembarked within two mins of coming to a stop, cleared border control (hand luggage only) out to the car park bus within 15 mins of landing.
I rarely have a problem using LBA either I am very lucky or carefully pick the time of my flight/day of week/time of year.

 

[White Heather]

Hi Pug

Yes it sounds like you took the A65 out of Leeds and turned right at Rawdon traffic lights, up the hill and through the tunnel to the airport roundabout. It is good to know you will use LBA again in the future.

 

[Aviador]

This was in the YEP yesterday. It's another grim read.

I'm not disputing that some things could be made better and in some cases much better, but some people just seem to go all out to attack the airport no matter what. Beyond the fixtures and fittings that really do need renewal, there are still many staff working throughout the airport in difficult working conditions that go that extra mile every day. The lack of anything positive to say suggests the guy just went looking for problems and is blind to anything positive.

LBA flying by the seat of their pants

I HAVE just concluded my yearly sojourn and following the criticism of Leeds Bradford Airport, thought I would report back.

I arrived for my flight to Barcelona on the Saturday and parked. An efficient Airport bus picked us up and took us to within 60 yards of the airport. In front of us appeared a sort of half-size Millennium Square complete with broken concrete, sprigs of tumbleweed and road markings, a nostalgic throwback to when drop-off and pick-up was efficient, quick and free. Perhaps this area could be converted into the problematic North of the river gypsy site?

We were picked up outside Barcelona Airport about two yards from the door and our bus driver took care of the bags. I saw no evidence that the people of Barcelona were any more aware of Leeds than before the visit by our business leaders sometime ago.

Our return to LBA started well – we got one of the two passenger piers.
However I was disappointed with the two mop buckets in the middle of the corridor to passport control catching the drops from the leaking roof. We stood at the carousel and waited, the shutters went up and my son’s case soon arrived. Unfortunately for myself and nine others, it stopped and the shutters came down. A chap poked his head out, mumbled something and then the shutters went up again and our 10 cases eventually appeared. This enabled us to miss the bus.

The bus arrived, this time a hired mini-bus.
The driver grunted, opened the boot and I put in my cases. He grunted again when someone said they were in Car Park 2 and he had to drive there. When I arrived at my point the strapping driver opened the boot and just stood there. I am 60, but because I was first on I had to unload the other eight cases first to get to my two. Cries from my fellow passengers of “I’ll take that” made me feel I should put a timesheet in for my labours. I got into my car and after a rest from my case-lifting experience I drove off ensuring I did not turn left into the terminal for a final two quid ‘rip off’.

International Airport?
On holiday we heard an Italian saying which seems to fit the bill: “The mother of fools is always pregnant”. LBA be ashamed, very ashamed!

Derek Goodman, Leeds
http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/n ... _1_3681839

 

[White Heather]

This is a cowardly attack on the airport, because these people don't usually have the guts to write to the airport itself and express their discontent or give the airport any opportunity to respond. Equally it is a cowardly but typical attack on LBA by the YEP, which frankly I find to be a disgraceful excuse for a local paper. In the past it was fair and tended to support the airport, but since it was privatised, they seem to waste no opportunity to 'have a go', one reporter in particular.

I copied this article to the airport MD and have raised a question pertaining to its content for the September Consultative Committee meeting.

 

[rmac]

I too thought it was a dreadful piece of journalism and surprised that the YEP published it.
The comment about the old pick up/drop off area is misleading as this area is to be built on, but as I mentioned before, I think an advertising boarding should be put up explaining what the plans are. Maybe local people know why the area appears to be so derelict but others don't. As for the car park bus I am surprised at the comments about the driver.. we were well treated by the drivers both on arrival and departure, they were both friendly and helpful, in contrast to our last visit to Barcelona when they were having transport problems into town and the bus we were on was well overcrowded and it was a nightmare trying to get off with a large case. So what was the letter trying to do? -- encourage local people to abandon their local airport....... or be ashamed off it perhaps? Why publish such rubbish and I hope the LBA management can make some positive progress with the YEP.