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Well it looks like bmi regional are going to comfirm tomorrow that they are going to axe there 3 times daily LBA-Paris Cdg route on Saturday February 25th according to several post on the bmi threads.
So I wonder if Jet2 will go twice daily (Thats if they can get the Slots) or if another airline may look at the route. Especially with Tommo's dropping their DSA-Orly flight as off the end off the winter season as well?
So I wonder if Jet2 will go twice daily (Thats if they can get the Slots) or if another airline may look at the route. Especially with Tommo's dropping their DSA-Orly flight as off the end off the winter season as well?
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See article below from today's Yorkshire Post
Contrary to previous reports on here, no shortlist was drawn up by the councils last Friday nor indeed will the councils be drawing up the shortlist. E&Y will select the shortlist and the Council's will then vote on a 1st and 2nd choice bidder from this list. As previously reported, the exec group in Leeds are expecting to do this during their meeting on 4th April. Report states up to a dozen initial bidders
1) Infratil
2) Balfour
3) MAR
4) Bridgepoint
5) Abertis??
Wonder who the others are - likely to be not much cop if a private equity firm with no prior experience of running airports is "a favourite" to make the final list.
682
THE privatisation of Leeds Bradford Airport will take a major step forward this month when a shortlist of bidders is drawn up.
Potential buyers had to submit indicative bids by last Thursday and now experts from accountancy firm Ernst & Young, which is handling the sale of the local authority-owned airport, will draw up a shortlist of around three or four.
That is likely to be completed by the end of January with a preferred buyer announced by early April.
The sale of the airport at Yeadon by the five West Yorkshire councils which own it was announced late last year and is likely to reap each windfalls of millions of pounds.
Up to a dozen organisations are thought to have submitted indicative bids with offers for the airport likely to be well above £100m.
Favourites to be on the shortlist include a private equity bid being spearheaded by former Yorkshire Forward chairman Sir Graham Hall and a consortium involving construction giant Balfour Beatty which bought Exeter Airport for £60m earlier this month.
Industry experts believe that the airport is likely to attract worldwide interest and estimates suggest that it will fetch a price of between £100m and £140m.
Sources close to a number of the bidders have said that they expect the final figure to be around £120m.
The airport, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year and had almost 2.8m passengers fly through it last year, is owned by Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Calderdale and Kirklees councils, with Leeds and Bradford each owning 40 per cent.
Groups which have declared an interest include Regional and City Airports, part of Balfour Beatty's specialist airport investment and development group.
The ambitious group is a joint venture between Balfour Beatty Capital, the group's investment arm. It already owns Exeter Airport, and London City Airport and is keen to expand its portfolio.
The group is being advised by Rod Hoare, the transport industry veteran who is the former chairman of the Heathrow Express and chief executive of Metronet, which runs part of the London Underground system.
Another bidder is private equity group Bridgepoint Capital whose bid is being led by Sir Graham Hall, former chief executive of Yorkshire Electricity and the former non-executive chairman of regional development agencies Yorkshire Forward and The Northern Way.
Bridgepoint is being advised by merchant bank N M Rothschild, led by its Leeds-based managing director David Forbes.
Richard Tollis, aviation partner with Ernst & Young, is heading the team handling the sale on behalf of the local authorities.
His team dealt with the £750m purchase of London City Airport last year as well as airports in Budapest, Hungary; Bratislava, Slovakia; and the sale of Newcastle Airport.
When the sale of Leeds Bradford was announced in December, Mr Tollis said it was likely to attract a great deal of interest. "Prices have been very buoyant in this market. We are already seeing strong interest because this may be the last opportunity to acquire a privatising regional airport in the UK."
It is thought unlikely that Manchester Airports Group – which is local authority-owned and operates Manchester, East Midlands, Bournemouth and Humberside airports – would be among the bidders for Leeds Bradford.
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/ViewA...icleID=1973689.
Contrary to previous reports on here, no shortlist was drawn up by the councils last Friday nor indeed will the councils be drawing up the shortlist. E&Y will select the shortlist and the Council's will then vote on a 1st and 2nd choice bidder from this list. As previously reported, the exec group in Leeds are expecting to do this during their meeting on 4th April. Report states up to a dozen initial bidders
1) Infratil
2) Balfour
3) MAR
4) Bridgepoint
5) Abertis??
Wonder who the others are - likely to be not much cop if a private equity firm with no prior experience of running airports is "a favourite" to make the final list.
682
THE privatisation of Leeds Bradford Airport will take a major step forward this month when a shortlist of bidders is drawn up.
Potential buyers had to submit indicative bids by last Thursday and now experts from accountancy firm Ernst & Young, which is handling the sale of the local authority-owned airport, will draw up a shortlist of around three or four.
That is likely to be completed by the end of January with a preferred buyer announced by early April.
The sale of the airport at Yeadon by the five West Yorkshire councils which own it was announced late last year and is likely to reap each windfalls of millions of pounds.
Up to a dozen organisations are thought to have submitted indicative bids with offers for the airport likely to be well above £100m.
Favourites to be on the shortlist include a private equity bid being spearheaded by former Yorkshire Forward chairman Sir Graham Hall and a consortium involving construction giant Balfour Beatty which bought Exeter Airport for £60m earlier this month.
Industry experts believe that the airport is likely to attract worldwide interest and estimates suggest that it will fetch a price of between £100m and £140m.
Sources close to a number of the bidders have said that they expect the final figure to be around £120m.
The airport, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year and had almost 2.8m passengers fly through it last year, is owned by Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Calderdale and Kirklees councils, with Leeds and Bradford each owning 40 per cent.
Groups which have declared an interest include Regional and City Airports, part of Balfour Beatty's specialist airport investment and development group.
The ambitious group is a joint venture between Balfour Beatty Capital, the group's investment arm. It already owns Exeter Airport, and London City Airport and is keen to expand its portfolio.
The group is being advised by Rod Hoare, the transport industry veteran who is the former chairman of the Heathrow Express and chief executive of Metronet, which runs part of the London Underground system.
Another bidder is private equity group Bridgepoint Capital whose bid is being led by Sir Graham Hall, former chief executive of Yorkshire Electricity and the former non-executive chairman of regional development agencies Yorkshire Forward and The Northern Way.
Bridgepoint is being advised by merchant bank N M Rothschild, led by its Leeds-based managing director David Forbes.
Richard Tollis, aviation partner with Ernst & Young, is heading the team handling the sale on behalf of the local authorities.
His team dealt with the £750m purchase of London City Airport last year as well as airports in Budapest, Hungary; Bratislava, Slovakia; and the sale of Newcastle Airport.
When the sale of Leeds Bradford was announced in December, Mr Tollis said it was likely to attract a great deal of interest. "Prices have been very buoyant in this market. We are already seeing strong interest because this may be the last opportunity to acquire a privatising regional airport in the UK."
It is thought unlikely that Manchester Airports Group – which is local authority-owned and operates Manchester, East Midlands, Bournemouth and Humberside airports – would be among the bidders for Leeds Bradford.
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/ViewA...icleID=1973689.
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......The group is being advised by Rod Hoare, the transport industry veteran who is the former chairman of the Heathrow Express and chief executive of Metronet, which runs part of the London Underground system......
Well that's reason enough not to sell it to Balfours!
Well that's reason enough not to sell it to Balfours!
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Depends whether there are really a dozen bidders as the press have speculated. The only ones we know about are the 4 who have chosen to make it public that they have bid. Potentially up to 8 other bidders who are keeping quiet at this stage.
Would be surprised to see anything other than airport operators or private equity groups in that list to be honest. Remember, even at £120m, the buyer is getting the airport on the cheap relative to the likes of BRS, NCL etc which were both sold for much more when at similar passenger volumes. That has to be a reflection of the work required in the next couple of years - runway resurfacing alone has been quoted at £17m - and I suspect both the buyers and sellers are viewing this as £120m to buy + £50m to renovate. Spend £170m, grow the passenger volumes, spread the risk on the route network and airline portfolio, lean on the local councils to pull their fingers out their behinds viz road improvements and one could easily have an asset worth £300m+ in a few years. If it were me I wouldn't even entertain a bid from anyone who wasn't thinking along these lines and couldn't demonstrate some proven track record in airport management.
Would be surprised to see anything other than airport operators or private equity groups in that list to be honest. Remember, even at £120m, the buyer is getting the airport on the cheap relative to the likes of BRS, NCL etc which were both sold for much more when at similar passenger volumes. That has to be a reflection of the work required in the next couple of years - runway resurfacing alone has been quoted at £17m - and I suspect both the buyers and sellers are viewing this as £120m to buy + £50m to renovate. Spend £170m, grow the passenger volumes, spread the risk on the route network and airline portfolio, lean on the local councils to pull their fingers out their behinds viz road improvements and one could easily have an asset worth £300m+ in a few years. If it were me I wouldn't even entertain a bid from anyone who wasn't thinking along these lines and couldn't demonstrate some proven track record in airport management.
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£120m to buy + £50m to renovate. Spend £170m, grow the passenger volumes, spread the risk on the route network and airline portfolio, lean on the local councils to pull their fingers out their behinds viz road improvements and one could easily have an asset worth £300m+ in a few years.
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Some interesting numbers in the OFT's paper on airport competition. Using data from the CAA passenger survery of 2005 it concludes that the overall number of passengers generated by the Yorkshire & Humberside region was 10million. Of the 10 million
45% (4.5m) used Manchester
25% (2.5m) used Leeds/Bradford
07% (0.7m) used "Midlands" airports
05% (0.5m) used Heathrow
04% (0.4m) used Stansted
04% (0.4m) used Humberside
03% (0.3m) used Liverpool
which leaves 7-8% or 0.7m / 0.8m at "other" airports. Not clear when the survery was done and therefore whether DSA is included in the other pot or not.
I would say the split seems to fit with my own anecdotal experience of speaking to friends and family, with the exception of LPL which has always seemed to get plenty of business from this part of the world. Maybe the recent rapid growth of Ryanair over there pre-dates the survery.
Nonetheless, the size of the prize for LBA if the right bidder can be found and if the right investments are be made, is clear. Couple of big 'ifs' there, but 6-7m pax going out of the region is not to be sniffed at.
682
45% (4.5m) used Manchester
25% (2.5m) used Leeds/Bradford
07% (0.7m) used "Midlands" airports
05% (0.5m) used Heathrow
04% (0.4m) used Stansted
04% (0.4m) used Humberside
03% (0.3m) used Liverpool
which leaves 7-8% or 0.7m / 0.8m at "other" airports. Not clear when the survery was done and therefore whether DSA is included in the other pot or not.
I would say the split seems to fit with my own anecdotal experience of speaking to friends and family, with the exception of LPL which has always seemed to get plenty of business from this part of the world. Maybe the recent rapid growth of Ryanair over there pre-dates the survery.
Nonetheless, the size of the prize for LBA if the right bidder can be found and if the right investments are be made, is clear. Couple of big 'ifs' there, but 6-7m pax going out of the region is not to be sniffed at.
682
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Looks like the opportunities the stats in the previous post have not gone unnoticed by those considering a bid. This from today's Yorkshire Post
(can we take it that the YP business editor's fascination with the Graham Hall bid is simply because he doesn't know anything about the other bidders. He was touting this as one of the favourites only last week, which seems remarkable if international airport groups are in the running)
682
Airport price 'more than £120m'Winning bid will be at high end of scale as panel draws up shortlist
Exclusive
David Parkin Business Editor
LEEDS Bradford Airport is likely to fetch substantially more than the £120m experts were predicting it would be worth when it is privatised later this year.
A shortlist of up to five bidders was drawn up yesterday by a panel representing the five West Yorkshire local authorities which own the airport.
And indicative bids already submitted by the groups which want to buy the Yeadon operation suggest that it will take a bid at the high end of the scale to secure its purchase. A total of 65 expressions of interest were received from groups interested in buying the airport and around a dozen submitted indicative bids earlier this month.
Those interested in buying the airport include international operators, other airport groups, private equity groups and infrastructure operators.
Among those known to be keen to purchase Leeds Bradford are a private equity bid being spearheaded by former Yorkshire Forward chairman Sir Graham Hall and a consortium involving construction giant Balfour Beatty which bought Exeter Airport for £60m earlier this month. Richard Tollis, the aviation partner at accountancy firm Ernst & Young, who is leading the team handling the sale of Leeds Bradford for its local authority owners, said: "I really do think we have got some very positive development proposals and that we are going to be able to secure a very attractive price."
The airport, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year and had almost 2.8m passengers fly through it last year, is owned by Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Calderdale and Kirklees councils, with Leeds and Bradford each owning 40 per cent.
The selected bidders will have until the end of February to submit their final offers and then a preferred and reserve bidder will be announced by early April.
Final bids will be subject to an "upward only ratchet" so can only be increased once they are made.
Those close to the bidding process say that the price secured for the airport is likely to be around £150m.
The relative wealth of those living in the airport's catchment area is seen as a key attraction.
Bidders will also have to outline their plans to develop the airport's services.
Groups which have declared an interest include Regional and City Airports, part of Balfour Beatty's specialist airport investment and development group.
The ambitious group is a joint venture between Balfour Beatty Capital, the group's investment arm. It already owns Exeter Airport, and London City Airport and is keen to expand its portfolio.
The group is being advised by Rod Hoare, the transport industry veteran who is the former chairman of the Heathrow Express and chief executive of Metronet, which runs part of the London Underground system.
Another bidder is private equity group Bridgepoint Capital whose bid is being led by Sir Graham Hall, former chief executive of Yorkshire Electricity and the former non-executive chairman of regional development agencies Yorkshire Forward and The Northern Way.
Bridgepoint is being advised by merchant bank N M Rothschild, led by its Leeds-based managing director David Forbes, and law firm Addleshaw Goddard.
It is thought unlikely that Manchester Airports Group, which is local authority-owned and operates Manchester, East Midlands, Bournemouth and Humberside airports, would be among the bidders for Leeds Bradford.
[email protected]
23 January 2007
(can we take it that the YP business editor's fascination with the Graham Hall bid is simply because he doesn't know anything about the other bidders. He was touting this as one of the favourites only last week, which seems remarkable if international airport groups are in the running)
682
Airport price 'more than £120m'Winning bid will be at high end of scale as panel draws up shortlist
Exclusive
David Parkin Business Editor
LEEDS Bradford Airport is likely to fetch substantially more than the £120m experts were predicting it would be worth when it is privatised later this year.
A shortlist of up to five bidders was drawn up yesterday by a panel representing the five West Yorkshire local authorities which own the airport.
And indicative bids already submitted by the groups which want to buy the Yeadon operation suggest that it will take a bid at the high end of the scale to secure its purchase. A total of 65 expressions of interest were received from groups interested in buying the airport and around a dozen submitted indicative bids earlier this month.
Those interested in buying the airport include international operators, other airport groups, private equity groups and infrastructure operators.
Among those known to be keen to purchase Leeds Bradford are a private equity bid being spearheaded by former Yorkshire Forward chairman Sir Graham Hall and a consortium involving construction giant Balfour Beatty which bought Exeter Airport for £60m earlier this month. Richard Tollis, the aviation partner at accountancy firm Ernst & Young, who is leading the team handling the sale of Leeds Bradford for its local authority owners, said: "I really do think we have got some very positive development proposals and that we are going to be able to secure a very attractive price."
The airport, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year and had almost 2.8m passengers fly through it last year, is owned by Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Calderdale and Kirklees councils, with Leeds and Bradford each owning 40 per cent.
The selected bidders will have until the end of February to submit their final offers and then a preferred and reserve bidder will be announced by early April.
Final bids will be subject to an "upward only ratchet" so can only be increased once they are made.
Those close to the bidding process say that the price secured for the airport is likely to be around £150m.
The relative wealth of those living in the airport's catchment area is seen as a key attraction.
Bidders will also have to outline their plans to develop the airport's services.
Groups which have declared an interest include Regional and City Airports, part of Balfour Beatty's specialist airport investment and development group.
The ambitious group is a joint venture between Balfour Beatty Capital, the group's investment arm. It already owns Exeter Airport, and London City Airport and is keen to expand its portfolio.
The group is being advised by Rod Hoare, the transport industry veteran who is the former chairman of the Heathrow Express and chief executive of Metronet, which runs part of the London Underground system.
Another bidder is private equity group Bridgepoint Capital whose bid is being led by Sir Graham Hall, former chief executive of Yorkshire Electricity and the former non-executive chairman of regional development agencies Yorkshire Forward and The Northern Way.
Bridgepoint is being advised by merchant bank N M Rothschild, led by its Leeds-based managing director David Forbes, and law firm Addleshaw Goddard.
It is thought unlikely that Manchester Airports Group, which is local authority-owned and operates Manchester, East Midlands, Bournemouth and Humberside airports, would be among the bidders for Leeds Bradford.
[email protected]
23 January 2007
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The possibility of a sucessful bid by Balfour Beatty is fascinating. Their expertise in both the construction and railway industry conjour up the very real possibilty of early airport terminal and runway extensions/taxiway enhancements.
Added to this with smart lobbying of local and national government (Both Leeds and Bradford Councils will have some funds avaialble following the airport sale and Westminster still "owes" Leeds big style after pulling the plug on supertram) for imaginative funding, the creation of an electrified rail-link between Guiseley and Horsforth would not only serve the Airport from the Leeds, Harrogate/York, Bradford, Skipton areas and beyond, but also offer an extremely attractive peak-time commuter link (entirely within the West Yorkshire Metro area) doing much to alleviate the severe congestion in the established and rapidly growing North West Leeds dormitory corridor of Aireborough & Horsforth.
Added to this with smart lobbying of local and national government (Both Leeds and Bradford Councils will have some funds avaialble following the airport sale and Westminster still "owes" Leeds big style after pulling the plug on supertram) for imaginative funding, the creation of an electrified rail-link between Guiseley and Horsforth would not only serve the Airport from the Leeds, Harrogate/York, Bradford, Skipton areas and beyond, but also offer an extremely attractive peak-time commuter link (entirely within the West Yorkshire Metro area) doing much to alleviate the severe congestion in the established and rapidly growing North West Leeds dormitory corridor of Aireborough & Horsforth.
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LBA has got to be THE worst runway in the UK. How they've not come under pressure from airlines that use LBA to get something done about it is beyond me, but of course this can only be accomplished by pilot reports to their Companies. In my view its condition is worth an ASR.
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LBA has got to be THE worst runway in the UK. How they've not come under pressure from airlines that use LBA to get something done about it is beyond me, but of course this can only be accomplished by pilot reports to their Companies. In my view its condition is worth an ASR.
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bobleeds - Whilst the runway was unlikely to be the cause of this particular incident, its condition is absolutely shocking. There are literally hundreds of repaired 'potholes' of varying standards in the concrete, and even taxying along it is a most uncomfortable experience. In the late '90s commercial activity in and out of LBA was predominantly small to medium-sized turboprop/RJ and the occasional 737/757 or A320/A321, but with the success of Jet2 and the general increase in jet traffic the runway simply hasn't been able to cope.
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Thanks RAFAT,
Yes as a regular LBA passenger, I know that taxiing and take off/landing is somewhat bumpy on the concrete surface, and you can see a number of the patches you refer to. It's about par for the course for something that is ownded partly by Leeds Council - If you think the runway's bad you should try driving on the local roads!
Seriously, presume over a period of time this exacerbates wear and tear on aircraft that use the airport on a regular basis.
Sounds like an early priority for the new owners to address once they are in place.
Yes as a regular LBA passenger, I know that taxiing and take off/landing is somewhat bumpy on the concrete surface, and you can see a number of the patches you refer to. It's about par for the course for something that is ownded partly by Leeds Council - If you think the runway's bad you should try driving on the local roads!
Seriously, presume over a period of time this exacerbates wear and tear on aircraft that use the airport on a regular basis.
Sounds like an early priority for the new owners to address once they are in place.
Last edited by Evileyes; 25th Jan 2007 at 15:42. Reason: ADQ
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BA7602 BELFAST CITY 1615 LANDED 16:17
BA1843 GLASGOW 1615 LANDED 16:22
AF2568 PARIS CDG 1710 LANDED 17:10
BA7792 VIENNA 2000
A few interesting arrivals this afternoon - anyone any idea whats going on ? Diverts ??? (its over 2.5hrs until the vienna arrival !)
BA1843 GLASGOW 1615 LANDED 16:22
AF2568 PARIS CDG 1710 LANDED 17:10
BA7792 VIENNA 2000
A few interesting arrivals this afternoon - anyone any idea whats going on ? Diverts ??? (its over 2.5hrs until the vienna arrival !)