RobT100
Leeds is full there is no additional night parking to speak of so home base growth is going to be limited, long haul? apart from a few odd ball semi charters it won't happen, yes the likes of the 787/A350 can do it, but who is buying them? not Ryanair, not Jet2, so i see no chance of long haul schedule traffic, the wx is a threat, auto land on 32 is problematic for somes types and airlines and last time i check 14 was still cat1, it matters not that in most occasions you get in, you need extra fuel for two alternates and it screws the program if you divert, i have never not got into EMA/MAN due weather minima, i have diverted away from Leeds several times due low cloud and also crosswind.
A great regional airport,but its elevation, runway alignment & slope, climb out 32 obstacles, weather, surface transport all count against it, train from MAN to Leeds city centre is about an hour twenty, it can take 50 min from the airport to LCC down Kirkstall road any time from 7am to 10am.
Not a chance of it seeing 5m pax any time soon, it broke 3m (3.3) for the first time in 2013, but movement were 8000 less than in 2007