LEEDS
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Following the general lambasting that the airport has taken in the letter's pages of the local press following news of potential private investment, tonight saw a letter of support........
Let's celebrate our airport success story
I and my colleagues at Jet2.com have followed with interest the ongoing debate in the YEP over the current and future ownership of Leeds Bradford Airport.
We believe Leeds Bradford Airport is a Yorkshire success story and that success is very much down to the airport's management team and the support they receive from the owning councils. When we first considered launching Jet2.com, we spent a great deal of time assessing various airports throughout Europe in the search for our first base. We chose Leeds Bradford because it was already a growing regional airport, with a great catchment area and above all a management team, led by Ed Anderson, who very much wanted to support and encourage airlines to start services and base aircraft at their airport.
Three years after the launch of Jet2.com, we now offer frequent services to 18 destinations, from our new, dedicated, check-in facility and we will shortly be announcing more, including Milan. Other airlines, such as British Midland, Eastern Airways and Air South West, also continue to grow at Leeds Bradford and the airport is now able to offer the people of Yorkshire over 50 business and leisure destinations that many other regional airports would relish.
At Jet2.com, we think the airport's in pretty good shape and has the facilities to rival any other regional airport in Europe. What's needed to encourage airlines to launch further services is not only investment in the airport itself, but investment in promoting the region. Whilst flights to Alicante or Malaga can be operated successfully with UK-based passengers, services to destinations in countries such as Germany or Scandinavia are very much reliant on bringing an equal number of overseas passengers to the UK.
If the people of Yorkshire want more air services, then there's a definite need to raise the national and international profile of the region. New initiatives such as Marketing Leeds and Bradford Centre Regeneration are a start, but much more needs to be done, and quickly.
Let's stop knocking Leeds Bradford and celebrate it for what it is, a great regional airport. Whatever the future ownership of the airport may be, let's not waste our energy on debating what private investment may or may not bring, let's use all our energy in shouting about Yorkshire and encouraging people to fly here! This is the real basis for expansion.
Philip Meeson, Chief Executive, Jet2.com
...so Milan back on the cards then? Wonder if this will be back into Bergamo to try and pick up some lakes traffic and maybe retain a bit of the Venice business, or whether they'll go for Linate or Malpenssa?
682
Let's celebrate our airport success story
I and my colleagues at Jet2.com have followed with interest the ongoing debate in the YEP over the current and future ownership of Leeds Bradford Airport.
We believe Leeds Bradford Airport is a Yorkshire success story and that success is very much down to the airport's management team and the support they receive from the owning councils. When we first considered launching Jet2.com, we spent a great deal of time assessing various airports throughout Europe in the search for our first base. We chose Leeds Bradford because it was already a growing regional airport, with a great catchment area and above all a management team, led by Ed Anderson, who very much wanted to support and encourage airlines to start services and base aircraft at their airport.
Three years after the launch of Jet2.com, we now offer frequent services to 18 destinations, from our new, dedicated, check-in facility and we will shortly be announcing more, including Milan. Other airlines, such as British Midland, Eastern Airways and Air South West, also continue to grow at Leeds Bradford and the airport is now able to offer the people of Yorkshire over 50 business and leisure destinations that many other regional airports would relish.
At Jet2.com, we think the airport's in pretty good shape and has the facilities to rival any other regional airport in Europe. What's needed to encourage airlines to launch further services is not only investment in the airport itself, but investment in promoting the region. Whilst flights to Alicante or Malaga can be operated successfully with UK-based passengers, services to destinations in countries such as Germany or Scandinavia are very much reliant on bringing an equal number of overseas passengers to the UK.
If the people of Yorkshire want more air services, then there's a definite need to raise the national and international profile of the region. New initiatives such as Marketing Leeds and Bradford Centre Regeneration are a start, but much more needs to be done, and quickly.
Let's stop knocking Leeds Bradford and celebrate it for what it is, a great regional airport. Whatever the future ownership of the airport may be, let's not waste our energy on debating what private investment may or may not bring, let's use all our energy in shouting about Yorkshire and encouraging people to fly here! This is the real basis for expansion.
Philip Meeson, Chief Executive, Jet2.com
...so Milan back on the cards then? Wonder if this will be back into Bergamo to try and pick up some lakes traffic and maybe retain a bit of the Venice business, or whether they'll go for Linate or Malpenssa?
682
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682
Where do you get the aspirations of "we" from. I do not think you have any idea of the airport management. Or what you have done for the airport. Many years ago Ski flights were discouraged as it was not what the airport wanted. Low Cost operaters were discouraged as the airport did not want them. EA discussed with the President of the Leeds & Bradford Chamber of Commerce and concluded that LBA had a bad catchment area. It has only been through pressure from the residents of yorkshire and staff from LBA to bring in more flights. The Airport management do not do anything more than standing up ip in public to pontificate how well they are doing, albeit not their doing. The people who run the airport are the airlines not the LBA management. I think privatisation has to be the next thing.
Where do you get the aspirations of "we" from. I do not think you have any idea of the airport management. Or what you have done for the airport. Many years ago Ski flights were discouraged as it was not what the airport wanted. Low Cost operaters were discouraged as the airport did not want them. EA discussed with the President of the Leeds & Bradford Chamber of Commerce and concluded that LBA had a bad catchment area. It has only been through pressure from the residents of yorkshire and staff from LBA to bring in more flights. The Airport management do not do anything more than standing up ip in public to pontificate how well they are doing, albeit not their doing. The people who run the airport are the airlines not the LBA management. I think privatisation has to be the next thing.
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qcode,
I got to agree to a point with your comments, from the ground it always seems as if the airport "plods along" just look at the time table this winter...... how many international airports have incoming/outgoing flights stopping at 21:45 for most nights of the week, it seems to me that the level of passenger numbers seen to just dwindle away when the winter timetable comes into force, WHY!!
This is were we should be looking to get the growth not just sitting back and waiting for the next summer to come along.
People don’t just stop going on holiday just because its coming into winter here, the destinations should be broader I wonder how many Yorkshire folk have to travel over the Pennines to get hotter destinations remember "Lbia" people don’t stay at home in winter, I know loads of people go away now for Christmas, why don’t you do a survey on the website and see where the folk go, might give marketing an idea as to where to look for new destinations, and yes what ever happened to the NY survey
I got to agree to a point with your comments, from the ground it always seems as if the airport "plods along" just look at the time table this winter...... how many international airports have incoming/outgoing flights stopping at 21:45 for most nights of the week, it seems to me that the level of passenger numbers seen to just dwindle away when the winter timetable comes into force, WHY!!
This is were we should be looking to get the growth not just sitting back and waiting for the next summer to come along.
People don’t just stop going on holiday just because its coming into winter here, the destinations should be broader I wonder how many Yorkshire folk have to travel over the Pennines to get hotter destinations remember "Lbia" people don’t stay at home in winter, I know loads of people go away now for Christmas, why don’t you do a survey on the website and see where the folk go, might give marketing an idea as to where to look for new destinations, and yes what ever happened to the NY survey
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Well, winter flights a couple of years ago on Saturday evenings seemed to end with the 19:40 KL arrival from AMS, at least things last just a little later now! 
However, I get the point, and the choice of winter sun destinations from LBA is pitiful. Only the Canary Islands are offered as a real opportunity to get some decent warmth over the winter months (and LPA stops in January, what the hell is that all about???)
Egypt, Madeira and Cyprus (together with LPA for the whole winter) are all completely viable for the number of people who travel from West Yorkshire to these destinations. The difficult part is getting tour operators to think away from the safety of MAN, where they prefer to funnel passengers in from surrounding regions.
However, I get the point, and the choice of winter sun destinations from LBA is pitiful. Only the Canary Islands are offered as a real opportunity to get some decent warmth over the winter months (and LPA stops in January, what the hell is that all about???)
Egypt, Madeira and Cyprus (together with LPA for the whole winter) are all completely viable for the number of people who travel from West Yorkshire to these destinations. The difficult part is getting tour operators to think away from the safety of MAN, where they prefer to funnel passengers in from surrounding regions.
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qcode
I think the "We" refers to Philip Meeson and the management of Jet2, who wrote that letter which was published in the Yorkshire Evening Post (YEP) newspaper, and not to 682 himself.
I would prefer to know why PM is seemingly against LBA being operated by a private group, rather than the current council dervied mangament?
baps
...not enough bookings for LPA, but from which airport??? LBA? DSA? MAN?
In the past we've seen quite a few LBA flights amalgamated into MAN flights and it's not always because the LBA flight is selling poorly.
With the B757s coming along for Jet2 these could almost eliminate the old Winter ITs from LBA if the current TFS route is expanded upon. In the summer the likes of ALC, AGP and PMI have all seen significant drops in the IT pax but these have been obscurred by the huge rise in pax on Jet2.
I think the "We" refers to Philip Meeson and the management of Jet2, who wrote that letter which was published in the Yorkshire Evening Post (YEP) newspaper, and not to 682 himself.
I would prefer to know why PM is seemingly against LBA being operated by a private group, rather than the current council dervied mangament?
baps
...not enough bookings for LPA, but from which airport??? LBA? DSA? MAN?
In the past we've seen quite a few LBA flights amalgamated into MAN flights and it's not always because the LBA flight is selling poorly.
With the B757s coming along for Jet2 these could almost eliminate the old Winter ITs from LBA if the current TFS route is expanded upon. In the summer the likes of ALC, AGP and PMI have all seen significant drops in the IT pax but these have been obscurred by the huge rise in pax on Jet2.
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"maybe not enough bookings for LPA".......
\"maybe not enough bookings for LPA\".......
Thomsonfly are switching the flight to Robin Hood.....
\"why Phillip Meeson is against a privatly owned airport\".....
Because Jet2 pay bugger all at LBA, minimal landing fees, hardly anything to Serviceair etc.... a private owner would come in and say \"right, this is how much it will cost to land a 737 at LBA\", and PM will have to start paying out the dosh....
\"maybe not enough bookings for LPA\".......
Thomsonfly are switching the flight to Robin Hood.....
\"why Phillip Meeson is against a privatly owned airport\".....
Because Jet2 pay bugger all at LBA, minimal landing fees, hardly anything to Serviceair etc.... a private owner would come in and say \"right, this is how much it will cost to land a 737 at LBA\", and PM will have to start paying out the dosh....
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perky
Private management does not necessarily mean stupid management. Most other UK regional airports have private companies in operational control but still have large LCC operations based there - BRS, LPL and EMA for starters.
I'm sure Jet2 are paying LBA a pittence at present and a new private operator would be an unknown quatity, but if it happens then that private operator would have to be amazingly dumb to bite the hand that provides about 45% of the total passengers at LBA this year. They would look to expand the sales outlets to harvest as much cash off the punters as possible before they get onboard. At present the layout of the commercial outlets is too haphazard, especially landside.
Private management does not necessarily mean stupid management. Most other UK regional airports have private companies in operational control but still have large LCC operations based there - BRS, LPL and EMA for starters.
I'm sure Jet2 are paying LBA a pittence at present and a new private operator would be an unknown quatity, but if it happens then that private operator would have to be amazingly dumb to bite the hand that provides about 45% of the total passengers at LBA this year. They would look to expand the sales outlets to harvest as much cash off the punters as possible before they get onboard. At present the layout of the commercial outlets is too haphazard, especially landside.
Meeting of MP's
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The Executive Board of the council will vote on the potential ownership options tomorrow. A copy of the report that will be debated is available via the Council website
http://www.leeds.gov.uk/files/2005/w...63ec6e138c.pdf
(the Airport report begins on page 57).
The actual recommendation sections have been omitted on the grounds of commercial sensitivity. However a copy of these sections was leaked to the YEP earlier in the week and they reported that 6 potential ownership options have been evaluated and ranked in the report. These range from 'no change' through to a majority disposal and basically all points in between, including leasing the airport out for a fixed term. The YEP reported that a 'majority disposal' came out as the 'clear winner' compared to all other options and therefore the vote tomorrow will be taken on that basis.
682
http://www.leeds.gov.uk/files/2005/w...63ec6e138c.pdf
(the Airport report begins on page 57).
The actual recommendation sections have been omitted on the grounds of commercial sensitivity. However a copy of these sections was leaked to the YEP earlier in the week and they reported that 6 potential ownership options have been evaluated and ranked in the report. These range from 'no change' through to a majority disposal and basically all points in between, including leasing the airport out for a fixed term. The YEP reported that a 'majority disposal' came out as the 'clear winner' compared to all other options and therefore the vote tomorrow will be taken on that basis.
682
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Air Southwest expands at LBA
From April 10th 2006 Air Southwest will increase it's BRS-LBA-BRS flights to three times daily, adding a mid-afternoon rotation. However, the morning and evening flights will no longer originate at NQY so a day-return to NQY will no longer be possible.
Instead a 1x daily, direct NQY-LBA-NQY service will be started (lunchtime-ish). Also, the new mid-afternoon BRS flight will continue to NQY and a late afternoon flight from NQY will connect (aircraft change) at BRS to the last BRS-LBA service.
Overall this does mean a doubling of weekday flights by WOW at Leeds Bradford.
682
Re Privatisation. There seems to be little activity in the other four West Yorks Councils over this issue at the present.
Instead a 1x daily, direct NQY-LBA-NQY service will be started (lunchtime-ish). Also, the new mid-afternoon BRS flight will continue to NQY and a late afternoon flight from NQY will connect (aircraft change) at BRS to the last BRS-LBA service.
Overall this does mean a doubling of weekday flights by WOW at Leeds Bradford.
682
Re Privatisation. There seems to be little activity in the other four West Yorks Councils over this issue at the present.
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....building work to continue!
NEW CARPARK EXTENSION
An application for 2222 carpark spaces has been submitted to Leeds City Council.
I cannot see how it can be viable to build many more parking spaces without building up. This also contradicts the airports so-called green management stance, more green fields vannished forever. I am in favour of expansion to facilities but wise, justified and reasoned expansion.
I am pleased that Air Southwest is adding to their alrealy successful operation at Leeds. There is obviously a need for improved links to the South West of England. I would like to think that Flybe will make a similar announcement in due course.
An application for 2222 carpark spaces has been submitted to Leeds City Council.
I cannot see how it can be viable to build many more parking spaces without building up. This also contradicts the airports so-called green management stance, more green fields vannished forever. I am in favour of expansion to facilities but wise, justified and reasoned expansion.
I am pleased that Air Southwest is adding to their alrealy successful operation at Leeds. There is obviously a need for improved links to the South West of England. I would like to think that Flybe will make a similar announcement in due course.
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I think its time the airport built a multi story car park and link it directly to the terminal, the inconvenience to passengers if they miss the mini bus is going to be huge, if they built a multi 3000 space car park and add just a couple of pounds to the tariff would benefit all,
- passengers not out in the cold,
- small walk to terminal,
- no extra mini bus needed saving cost,
- and no extra cost of a driver must out way the need of a mile hike from passengers missing the bus.
The car parks generate Huge income for the airport so come on Lba put some back!!
- passengers not out in the cold,
- small walk to terminal,
- no extra mini bus needed saving cost,
- and no extra cost of a driver must out way the need of a mile hike from passengers missing the bus.
The car parks generate Huge income for the airport so come on Lba put some back!!
At Jet2.com, we think the airport's in pretty good shape and has the facilities to rival any other regional airport in Europe. What's needed to encourage airlines to launch further services is not only investment in the airport itself
Sorry cant concur at all. I like jet 2 a lot, fly with them all the time and have a mate who is a Captain with them. Leeds is not a great regional airport in my or other collegues opinion. Yes it has all the destinations etc etc but as a functioning airport terrible. Yes it s team might have all the right ideas in action or in process of being actioned but at present it cannot handle the amount of people it is attracting. It is a small airport playing at a biggish one, ask any pax going through when one holiday flight is about to depart crowded, check in about 2 miles long, security well two machines, twenty check in staff and only one machine working. Dont want to be picky pax.com but as a heavy user of UK airports find LBA one of the worst for ease of transit and facilites. From roads into the place to parking then the always be along in a min bus to the jet. I think that serviceair are mainly to blame for this not the people but their manning system which is way to low. Stand on that bus and listen to the lass going on about how many people they had to cover this and that and I sympathize cause they were hugely undermanned. Not the first time have heard that either so it wasnt one whinger. Rant over.
Sorry cant concur at all. I like jet 2 a lot, fly with them all the time and have a mate who is a Captain with them. Leeds is not a great regional airport in my or other collegues opinion. Yes it has all the destinations etc etc but as a functioning airport terrible. Yes it s team might have all the right ideas in action or in process of being actioned but at present it cannot handle the amount of people it is attracting. It is a small airport playing at a biggish one, ask any pax going through when one holiday flight is about to depart crowded, check in about 2 miles long, security well two machines, twenty check in staff and only one machine working. Dont want to be picky pax.com but as a heavy user of UK airports find LBA one of the worst for ease of transit and facilites. From roads into the place to parking then the always be along in a min bus to the jet. I think that serviceair are mainly to blame for this not the people but their manning system which is way to low. Stand on that bus and listen to the lass going on about how many people they had to cover this and that and I sympathize cause they were hugely undermanned. Not the first time have heard that either so it wasnt one whinger. Rant over.
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Duesseldorf seems to be a strange destination for Jet2, assuming PM takes up the slot.
Again subject to PM taking up the slots, Venice and Milan make a welcome return. Tad more on Paris too.
Again subject to PM taking up the slots, Venice and Milan make a welcome return. Tad more on Paris too.
