LEEDS BRADFORD
 

To get the ball rolling I hope you don't mind a quick summary of the main topics (in no particular order) from the last few pages of the old LBA thread.

Successful start of the Lahore route and then sudden collapse of Swefly.

Astreus to increase IT routes for Summer 2006, most notably to Greek destinations.

Airport Ownership - private or not.

Rail link to LBA.

Jet2 announce LBA-Roma and -Pisa for Summer 2006.

Terminal re-development.


And a few current events.

Runway 09/27 was withdrawn from use at the start of October.

Work commenced to rebuild taxiway Delta.

October 4th saw the start of the Jet2 LBA-TFS route but without a Jet2 B757!

Sad to see runway 27/09 closed. As a PPL who flies out of LBA I imagine it will make life considerably harder. There will now be a lot of days when the crosswind component is outside limits - meaning a lot more "non-flying days". A real shame.

Sure - it gives Jet2 and assorted others the room to park more shiny 737's but thats not what *everyone* wishes to see.

V2

Plan is to upgrade the Astraeus based machine next summer to a 737-700.

Regards

Mike

AEU LBA S06
 

The AEU program for S06 is as follows:-
Mon REU and FNC
Tue PMI and HER
Wed RHO
Thur FAO and ZTH
Fri IBZ, MAH and DLM
Sat VRN, ALC and LPA
Sun AGP and LCA

All flights will be by 737-700.
What's more interesting are destinations planned for Winter 06/07 which only a 700 can do.

I think it's no secret that Astreus were looking to offer Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt for their S06 program. That plan seems to have lost support from from the IT operators following the terrorist attacks there a couple of months ago.

I don't think we can blame IT's for being cautious about offering more capacity in the current climate. If bookings for S06 remain strong then we should see this route reconsidered for LBA and it is winter destination more than a summer one I would think.

...or did you have somewhere else in mind POL1W?

Didn't Gambia get a mention at some point. At least all the noises from LBA and Astraeus are good at the moment, so things looking good for the winter 06 then:8

I personally think AEU could be the best thing that ever happened to LBA, they have no ties to tour ops, so they can operate more 'adventorous' routes on behalf of more tour opererators.

Will be interesting to see where they are operating winter 06/07, LBAs charter programme in winter normally leaves alot to be desired.

JET 2 757 Arrival LBA
 

The first Jet 2 757 has arrived LBA this afternoon. Hopefuly will operate their Sunday TFS after their first flight was operated by a Titan 757 and their second flight with 2 737s.
Interested to know what their second 757 is called, as their first one is Jet 2 Tenerife. Might give some clue as to what they are planning to do with it.

Jet2 757
 

The above has got me interested? Was today's movement a positioning flight and what time does Jet2 Tennerife leave tommorow?:hmm:

The A/C positioned in from Lasham & is not due to fly until Tuesday

smythy

Please check your PMs

I belive the sunday TFS will continue to be operated by two 737's up unitl the winter period (end of month) and then the sunday rotation be dropped. Think this is due to pax no's unsing this service.
The 75 looks very smart i have to say, and was onboard it this morn and they have done a cracking job with it.

ash

Today's TFS sector was operated by a single Jet2 737-300 which operated direct using 14 and believe was full.

Unlikely they would drop the Sunday sector given (a) it seems to be the most popular UK bound day of operation (based on lowest available fares) and (b) they have only (within the last week or so) put TFS on sale for another month into '06 - including Sunday services.

682

The 757 equiptment will operate Tuedays service to Tenerife.

Very strange state of affairs, if the 757 is only going to operate one flight a week, what is the point in 2 757s?

Jet2 MUST be preparing some new routes for them surely.

The 757 will operate the TFS flight on Tuesdays and Fridays throught the winter. Not sure what the plans are for the next summer.

The 757 is also operating a variety of other routes on selected dates. Next sunday the 757 will operate the LBA-PMI-LBA service then the LBA-AMS-LBA LS205/206 after the PMI. I have heard this is something to do with crew training.

Anyone else know what routes will be operated by the 757 this winter. Heard the Geneva will be operated by the 75 on busy days.

Jet2 originally timetabled 2 x daily flights to GVA on Sundays. This has since been reduced to 1 x daily, but retimed to allow a sufficient turnaround from the aircraft arriving from AGP. Putting 2 and 2 together, one suspects the plan is for 1 x 757 to operate AGP in slot 1 and GVA on slot 2 on Sundays. ALC and AGP would stand out as the others obvious contenders for 757 ops.

As for S06, the way the timetable is coming together and some of the frequency adjustments from S05 does hint at regular 757 ops on ALC, AGP and MJV and possibly PMI which has been very strong this summer. By 'topping up' these routes with an extra 737 service in high season, this will give them roughly the same amount of capacity, but with fewer flights.

682

Jet2 have announced 3 new routes from Blackpool now...

Blackpool - Belfast - starting 31st Oct.

Blackpool - Murcia - starting 3rd April.

Blackpool - Palma - starting 3rd April.

What aircraft will they be using? Presumably a 733...

A- That has already been reported numerous times.

B - Has nothing to do with Leeds.

Sad to report Thomsons have cancelled their winter LPA flight from LBA and have now moved all pax to DSA.

p.s. "JET2LBIA" - wouldnt be LBIA in another guise would it ??:*

Looks like the LPA flights are running in Nov and Dec then stop in the new year. Another route for AEU to hopefully pick up for Winter 06/07.

....hmmmm!! Thomsonfly up to their old tricks.:}

A new route for Jet2 maybe?

I suspect the LPA change has nothing to do with lack of demand, how on earth could there NOT be demand for a LPA flight during the winter months?!

Hopefully Astreaus are beginning to see the benefits of operating from LBA given that they have the charter market pretty much there for the taking if they so wish. It's nice to see a charter airline showing fresh interest in the airport.

Finally, for future reference, please note that it was user JET2LBIA who posted that old Blackpool news in this thread and not myself, so keep those death threats away from me! ;)

Just as a side note, will next years summer charter programme be the best on record, in terms of routes and pax numbers?

Destinations (Some more than once a week), PMI, MAH, IBZ, ALC, AGP, REU, LPA, ACE, TFS, FUE, VRN, ZTH, HER, RHO, DLM, BJV, VAR, BOJ, LCA, PFO, CFU, Nice to see a decent programme for a change!

Would be nice to have YYZ, MIR, KGS, SZG, SPU, LJU, PUY, DVB, GCI, GRO, LEI, back aswell. All charter routes which have operated from LBA in the past.

Please. No wish lists.......

I'm not sure that was exactly a "wish list", more of a comment.

We all know a fair chunk of that list will not re-appear for a long time, if ever, as tourism in most of the former Yugoslavia region collapsed as a result of the Balkan war. Most UK regional airports had Yugoslavia services before and few do now.

The popular tourist-destinations which have replaced them are exactly the ones being targeted by Astreus and which have generally been very poorly served from LBA. As LBA stated we are actually looking at decent program (for LBA) for S06 and there is reason to be optimistic that this trend will continue. Astreus opening up new destinations by providing a low-risk method for IT companies to offer small amounts of capacity from LBA seems to be the way forward.

I believe there is a big demand for flights to the former Yugoslavia.The problem at the moment is lack of Hotel Accomodation.This is restricting growth.

Opening up a very contentious issue, would LBA benefit from a name change.This seems to be fashionable at the moment.
I have to say that having travelled for many years, I often hear derogatory comments in particular about one of our cities so the location as a whole does not always seem so desirable to foreigners.
I remember once making a reservation to LBA over the telephone to the KLM Frankfurt office and the guy who answered asked, "are you sure you want to go there?,its a very dangerous place"
Extreme I know, but the overall image is not great.
Years ago the airport authorities were being pressurised by the airlines for a name change.
Maybe Fred Trueman International!
Leaving jokes and sentiment aside because we are all proud of our respective cities, would it benefit comercially from this.

Well, it's not hard to work out which of the two cities is viewed less positively, and I am born and bred from there!

Many tour companies and even some airlines already market the airport as just 'Leeds' rather than it's full name of Leeds/Bradford. I don't think a fancy name change is required, Leeds is a big enough city for overseas travellers to know where the airport is located. I wouldn't kick up too much of a fuss if Bradford was dropped from the name, most outside of Yorkshire seem oblivious to it being there in the first place! However, it will never happen so long as Bradford Council retain their slice of ownership.

Should the airport ever be sold off, then maybe.

I was actually talking about dropping both names.
A lot more could be said that came from overseas visitors that I brought to the UK when I worked in Bradford for many years.
But, it has to be also said that going back years, it was Bradford council that supported the airport more than Leeds. At the time, the idiots on Leeds city council were talking about closing LBA and moving to Thorne Waste.
As I said, we all have our sentiments, but they do not mean anything to to the rest of the world.
LBA is now an International airport.
The people of Doncaster are proud of their town, but from a marketing point of view, Peel seem to have got it right.

LBA name change?
 

I spoke to a councilor some time ago about this very issue, she said it would be impossible while the airports main share holders are Leeds and Bradford councils. Speaking to other members of management and marketing at the airport some time ago, it was noted that it would also be a very costly exercise.

Airports such as 'East Midlands' opted to follow the LBA way in choosing to name their airport after a city, 'Nottingham' East Midlands'.

Long term, the city of Leeds is likely to have its boundrys extended. The idea of a 'Greater Leeds' area has been suggested by the Chamber of Commerce. Business leaders from Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield and Harrogate have said they think the whole area would benefit from this, with the city of Leeds been the 'powerhouse' of finance, trade and industry of Yorkshire.

There is already talk that the whole of West Yorkshire and parts of North Yorkshire could become part of a 'Greater Leeds'. Cities such as Bradford would not disappear, but would become part of the 'Greater Leeds'.

After this has happened, a move towards choosing a new name for the airport will be more appropriate. It is my opinion that the 'Leeds' part should stay whatever happens. Liverpool get away with 'John Lennon' because he is world famous. I'm not sure 'Fred Trueman' is a world famous name?

Here are a few ideas.....


Leeds International
Leeds Bronte International
Greater Leeds International
Leeds Harry Ramsdon International

and of course, because the Greater Leeds boundry would include Halifax and Huddersfield, you can even have a

Leeds Patrick Stuart International


As for Robin Hood Doncaster Shefield, well, if Leeds wanted to include fictional names as well, this opens up a whole new ball game!

Leodis.

How about

LeedsBradfordWakefieldKirkleesCalderdale International.

Many years ago "Bradford" was going to be taken out of the name but Bradford council would not have it. Quite funny when the r/t for the airport is "Leeds" and not "Leeds Bradford". Also if you listen on the r/t some pilots still call it "Yeadon".

Rumours are circulating that Jet2 will not re-instate their LBA-Venice route next summer.

From the monthly CAA data it has not been the star route from LBA but loads have been significantly higher than their MAN-VCE route.

PTH

Rumours are circulating that Jet2 will not re-instate their LBA-Venice route next sum
 

It' s true and will also be dropped fom Manchester too.

I'm sure Jet2 will replace the service with another route, probably the previously mentioned Berlin.

Taxiway Delta
 

Just an update on taxiway Delta

The laying of the concrete is expected to start next week, this process is expected to take around seven days weather permiting. The taxiway should be operational around Christmas or just after.

Any news on the soon to be announced Jet2 service?

Thought the most interesting news for a long time was the revelation this week that the council in Leeds are going to start looking for a private partner to run the airport.

loco

Best thing that ever happened to NCL.

On the old Leeds Bradford thread this topic came up plenty of times. With all the costs for much-needed construction projects looming having a private partner in control of LBA is probably more important now than ever before.

The scheme under discussion seems to be the sale of a 51% stake to a private company. The carrot of about 200 million pounds (approximate sale price of NCL stake a few years ago) is being dangled in front of the local voters.

The Yorkshire Evening Post ran a Comment article that was surprisingly strongly in favour of privatisation.

http://www.leedstoday.net/ViewArticl...icleID=1230812


With the composition of the five Councils that own the airport as they stand at present (ie Con-Lib alliances in Leeds and Bradford), this is the first time that the issue of privatisation has made it past the old ideological hurdles.