Leeds Bradford - General Thread

[Bigman]

Actually LBA787 you will find that Leeds to Kings Cross only works every 20 minutes at peak times. There is only 1 train per day timed to sub-2 hours. The stock is anything up to 38 years old. Ironically, FlyBe pulled off LCY just 2 weeks before the Hatfield crash, after which BMI had to do all sorts of upgrades. Had FlyBe kept the service on just a few weeks longer, they could well have picked up a lot of additional passengers, and maybe retained them as well.

 

[Aviador]

LBA has just featured on Manchester's Coronation Street as part of a story with Street Cars.

 

[Bigman]

That would be when Steve MacDonald gets himself a drop off to do at LBA when Lloyd let's on that they are planning a surprise birthday party for him in the Rovers.

 

[whoshotjimmi]

I suppose this is the best thread in which to post.

I am currently studying my travel plans for the next 6 months or so and I am finding that everything I wish to do is being thwarted by the complete lack of winter choice at LBA. I am being forced elsewhere because of it. Frankly, it is incredibly disappointing. The only thing that is keeping me positive at this time is the prospect of Riga returning to the fold, as I plan a foray to the Baltic. But yes. Manchester is sadly going to be seeing more of my business as I cannot afford to fly everywhere via Heathrow. I know the airport has finally hit 3mppa but how has the winter schedule become so bad?

 

[Seasider]

You are a member of a rare breed- a winter traveller, Most folk who use LBA only want to lie in the sun and turn brown. You can't do that in many places during the winter!

 

[Tarn Spotter]

Have to say on my wish list planning for this winter were the following.
Las palmas, Vienna, Salzburg and Geneva (Zermatt), I could do all with the exception of Vienna were dates did not suit from LBA.
For winter travel, LBA has a good range of Ski resorts, Sun (canary islands) winter festive cities (add Prague to above), xmas Illuminations (malaga/London), whatever your interests you should be able to get from LBA.
Is flying via Heathrow dearer, the last two summers we have flown to Geneva via LHR. Not possible direct on dates from LBA, from other local airports, dearer if you add in travel, parking etc. BA seem to put in the LBA/LHR sector free.

 

[whoshotjimmi]

Flying via Heathrow adds about £120 onto every return flight. It is a shame as BA's fares on short haul out f Heathrow are actually very reasonable but once you add on the LBA part, it is not worth the cost - not to mention the fact that most destinations are only reachable with a lengthy layover in London.

I have looked at many options for winter travel: Budapest; Vienna; Berlin; Barcelona to name but a few. I am finding the schedules and prices are what are letting me down. The choice is almost zero and it does not fit in with what I require. It is hugely frustrating to know that flights serve some of the destinations I am looking at but that the schedules are not what I require.

However, fortune favours the brave and I am currently looking at a trip to Berlin in November with a couple of days in Dusseldorf. So though my outbound will suffer, the inbound is possible (although some of the prices are already unaffordable). Fortunately for me, Ryanair are restarting to Riga as I plan a trip through the Baltic in February (yes, I do have a thick scarf).

 

[Tarn Spotter]

I can only compare flying via heathrow to geneva with the cost of flying direct from another local airport i.e. manchester, East Midlands etc.
I only book B A when they have their offer sale on, the cost with B A was £35 each dearer then Easyjet from I think Manchester, therefore, when you take petrol parking and especially the time element getting to manchester for a mid morning flight. Connection time at LHR was 90 minutes
Obviously I dont have a breakdown of the different segments of the flight, but at the price paid and on a pro rata basis a lot less then £120.
In addition booking the flight came with many other goodies, one of them was a free LBA - LHR return free sector on a future flight, this was repeated when I bought the same flights in the January sale.
Therefore If you use B A you will likely be offered this sector for free.

 

[lbaspotter]

Just noticed the West Yorkshire Police operated National Police Air Service posted the following picture of the Runway 32 approach from around 500ft a few nights ago on both there Twitter feed and Facebook page.

Source: https://twitter.com/NPAS_CarrGate

 

[flyboy]

It was reported in the Yorkshire Evening Post today that LBIA made a pre-tax loss of £5.2 million for the year to 31/3/14, down from £8.6 million from the year before. The reduced loss was mainly due to increased passenger numbers and increased revenue from car parking and retail. According to John Parkin, the growth was mainly driven by the new arrangements with Monarch and British Airways.
It would be interesting to know how much of the loss was down to debt interest being charged to the airport company by Bridgepoint Capital on the purchase price they paid for the airport

 

[lbaspotter]

It was reported in the Yorkshire Evening Post today that LBIA made a pre-tax loss of £5.2 million for the year to 31/3/14, down from £8.6 million from the year before. The reduced loss was mainly due to increased passenger numbers and increased revenue from car parking and retail. According to John Parkin, the growth was mainly driven by the new arrangements with Monarch and British Airways.
It would be interesting to know how much of the loss was down to debt interest being charged to the airport company by Bridgepoint Capital on the purchase price they paid for the airport

Just to add to what you've posted flyboy this is how it has been reported by the Business Desk website

Source: http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/york...mpaign=Yorkshire_19th_Aug_2014_-_Daily_E-mail

Leeds Bradford Airport narrows losses as passenger numbers soar
19th August 2014

By Rachel Covill - Business Correspondent

LOSSES have narrowed at Leeds Bradford Airport, which has seen passenger numbers soar and turnover rise.

Pre-tax loss at the airport in its latest set of results filed at Companies House fell to £5.2m in the year to March 31, 2014, down from £8.6m last time, while passenger numbers rose 11% to more than three million boosting turnover to £26.9m, driven by increased parking and retail revenue.

The airport also revealed it has extended loan facilities of around £90m until 2017 while also receiving £15m from its backer Bridgepoint, which acquired Leeds Bradford Airport in 2007.

The year also saw the first full year's trading since the £11m terminal development completed mid-way through the prior year.

EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) increased by 19% to £4.4m and operating costs rose 3.9% to £8.2m, which the airport said was due to inflationary pressure and investment in operational areas to support passenger growth.

The airport, which employs just under 3,000 people, said the growth was primarily driven by new arrangements with Monarch and British Airways.

It said it continues to develop new routes with Pula and Split added during the year, while the Dusseldorf (Weeze), Kaunas and Budapest services ceased operating. The Islamabad service stopped post year end.

John Parkin, chief executive at Leeds Bradford Airport, said: "Leeds Bradford Airport will continue to invest in its facilities to improve the passenger experience alongside encouraging the continued growth in our business.’’

 

[flyboy]

Thanks lbaspotter, that goes some way to answering my query

 

[jason1-11]

See another new potential Leeds player is flying into Manchester from Rome today.

What a shame with KLM and BA connections available directly into Leeds, these options aren't considered more.

 

[54xhg]

Hi,It's been about 7 years since I was last up at the airport but next weekend I will be seeing sombody off from LBA,can you tell me if you can still get upstairs to have a drink? and you could also see the planes take off and land,i know there has been a lot of changes since I was last up there that's why I've asked.

 

[Aviador]

Hi!
There is no longer anywhere within the terminal where you can watch the aircraft. You'd have to go off the airport site to see them depart.

 

[White Heather]

And, upstairs is now airside, so you can no longer go up there for a drink like you could in the past. Landside is all on the ground floor - there are some cafes down there, but mostly they are upstairs which can only be accessed after passengers have gone through security.

 

[54xhg]

Hi!
There is no longer anywhere within the terminal where you can watch the aircraft. You'd have to go off the airport site to see them depart.

Thanks,So it looks like I'd be better of watching the webcam to watch the flight takeoff? Sounds like the airport has gone backwards!

 

[rmac]

Edinburgh is the same, at one time you could watch the runway movements and have a cup of coffee. No more. I visited Glasgow recently - couldn't see a thing!

 

[pss53]

That's the thing I love about Amsterdam, the viewing point on the roof is awesome...great to go have a coffee or a pint before your flight and sit and watch.... make sure you don't turn up your gate with only 5 mins to spare like i did !!

 

[Aviador]

I don't want to sound preemptive but it does look like we're going to end the year in a far better situation than we started it in. Jet2 are offering new routes for summer 2015, it looks like Monarch are staying and potentially offering more routes. The latest edition of the airport masterplan looks like it's finally nearing completion ready for all to see. Vueling potentially starting flights from LBA. It looks like things finally looking up?