More Long Haul routs take step forword from Leeds Bradford Airport take step forword
From Bristal Evening news
THE MAN WHO BROUGHT NEW YORK CLOSER TO BRISTOL
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10:40 - 25 March 2008
Bristol Airport aviation director Tony Hallwood is leaving for rival Leeds Bradford. JAMES COWLING speaks to the man credited with opening the West to the US
Many people credit flights directly from Bristol to New York to one man.Tony Hallwood, aviation development supremo at Bristol names the moment Continental Airlines came to Bristol as his proudest.
Since he arrived in Bristol, in July 2003, he's convinced a host of key operators to fly from Bristol.
Now he's embarking on a role nearer his Manchester home, taking up the post of developing Leeds Bradford airport's fortunes.
He said: "When I came to Bristol, I'd worked for the MyTravel group and I knew the South West economy was very strong and had a lot of potential.
"Bristol had 24 scheduled destinations - now it has got 77.
"Much of my role involved being an ambassador not just for Bristol airport but for the West."
But how did Tony persuade airlines to come to a relatively unknown airport?
"I never believed it was a gamble - I had the facts at my fingertips.
"Six per cent of all passengers travelling to London airports were coming from the South West - which equated to four million passenger journeys.
"On that basis, I told my former boss (Andrew Skipp) that I wanted a New York route within two years."
Following intensive discussions with a number of carriers, Continental Airlines agreed to fly from Bristol.
"I got the call from them to say they were coming to Bristol exactly a year after I started my job."
It's not just the New York flights that Tony remembers with fondness.
In 2003, easyJet had 13 destinations from Bristol - now it has 39 and is the second largest hub for easyJet outside Gatwick.
In the autumn, the airport is expected to apply for its £80 million expansion to include a hotel, car parks and an increase in passengers from six million this year, to nine million in 2015.
Tony said: "The airport needs to expand to keep up with some serious international competition.
"Carriers like easyJet are using much more fuel efficient planes with higher load factors (numbers of passengers) which keeps up with consumer demand."
In January 2007, the airport made national news headlines after it closed its runway for four days.
Pilots working for easyJet reported skidding planes on landing, as the airport's runway surface underwent a £15m refurbishment.
Tony said: "It was a weekend that will remain in my mind in terms of experiences and one of the top three challenges of my career.
"It was certainly the right thing to do to close the runway, and put our customers' safety first."
Tony, whose young family live in Manchester will start at Leeds Bradford next month.
He follows Bristol's head of engineering Carl Atworth, who joined Leeds a month ago, but it is pure coincidence, insists Tony.
He said: "Leeds has got three million passengers - around half the size of Bristol, so there's plenty to get my teeth into."
But what has he left behind?
"I've got a great group of people who will develop Bristol even more - hopefully I've laid the foundations for more routes.
"I would hope to see flights to Dubai from Bristol in the next decade."
But what was his proudest moment at Bristol?
"I have to say, when we flew into Bristol from New York on the first Continental flight, there was a tear in my eye."
so hopfully Leeds Bradford will soon be having direct New york flights