Leeds Bradford: Ryanair Flights, New Routes & Base Updates

[LBA4EVER]

Probably messing with their system again. How many times have we had situations like this in the past and questions such as this, and they nearly always reappear. The same happened with Porto as I recall.

They even did it with the Alicante route due to a dispute with the airport over there, and that route is upto x3 daily in summer!

Might also depend on whether the Orange boys are about to enter the FAO fray, that could be delayingv FR's thinking. Do they have a base in FAO to enable that to happen?

I love your hopeful thinking finger, always those maybes! 😂

 

[lbaspotter]

I know it’s a long way off but LBA-FAO is not on sale for S26 even though it is available from other local departure points, are we really loosing such a key route with Ryanair from LBA?

I think you’ll find Ryanair haven’t even put its full summer 26 schedule on sale yet. The are loads of routes still showing not available.

 

[gulftraveller]

easyJet does have a base at FAO.
It's had a summer-only base every year since 2022 with 4x based aircraft.

There are plenty of UK airports that are not showing any Ryanair flights to FAO after March 2026 at this time. A look at their website suggests ABZ, BFS, BOH, BRS, CWL, EMA - and others are like LBA in not having FAO flights available to book after March 2026.

I stand corrected. I was looking at the winter schedules.

 

[BCFC]

I use FR on the FAO route all the time and their loads are normally very good so I doubt they would drop it.

 

[White Heather]

I use FR on the FAO route all the time and their loads are normally very good so I doubt they would drop it.

They had full loads on Vilnius but dropped that due to one of their regular fall outs with the airport company. Im sure Faro will be there though.

 

[BCFC]

They had full loads on Vilnius but dropped that due to one of their regular fall outs with the airport company. Im sure Faro will be there though.

They also have a pretty decent base at FAO….never say never though, I would be gutted.

 

[752]

FR announces 3rd based AC, matching LBA. x3 new routes all would be ideal for LBA.

 

[Seasider]

Where?

 

[ChrisBBB]

Where?

Newcastle

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

Brussels - don't need. Not in the EU anymore.

Malta would be nice to have back. Budapest would be also nice addition.

We have Gdansk already and Wroclaw. Looks like the 3rd will also allow for frequencies to be increased at NCL.

 

[Threegreens]

Brussels - don't need. Not in the EU anymore.

Malta would be nice to have back. Budapest would be also nice addition.

We have Gdansk already and Wroclaw. Looks like the 3rd will also allow for frequencies to be increased at NCL.

Don’t need Brussels?? Really?? Obviously Manchester do as Ryanair do 3 a day to Charleroi! As well as Brussels Airlines of course …..

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

Don’t need Brussels?? Really?? Obviously Manchester do as Ryanair do 3 a day to Charleroi! As well as Brussels Airlines of course …..

Leave it to be served from north west airport.

I’d rather have Madrid, German destinations, Milan. Proper cities that could open up Yorkshire’s economy. Not some bureaucrats heaven.

Last time we had Brussels was with BMI. Served by an ERJ135/45 with reduced frequency on a weekend.

 

[lbaspotter]

Brussels - don't need. Not in the EU anymore.

Malta would be nice to have back. Budapest would be also nice addition.

We have Gdansk already and Wroclaw. Looks like the 3rd will also allow for frequencies to be increased at NCL.

Malta & Budapest both served by Jet2 at LBA

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Malta & Budapest both served by Jet2 at LBA

Yes, but competition would be good. Fares to Malta on Jet2 are very high.

 

[White Heather]

Yes, but competition would be good. Fares to Malta on Jet2 are very high.

Given that Ryanair operated around 3 flights weekly from LBA to Malta pre pandemic, Im really surprised they haven't reintroduced it by now, especially as they now have Malta Air based there.

 

[pug]

Leave it to be served from north west airport.

I’d rather have Madrid, German destinations, Milan. Proper cities that could open up Yorkshire’s economy. Not some bureaucrats heaven.

Last time we had Brussels was with BMI. Served by an ERJ135/45 with reduced frequency on a weekend.

There’s little economic value (apart from some outbound tourism) with linking up LBA to those destinations due in no small part to the reduction in viability of a link to BRU for obvious reasons. Lufthansa excepted.

BRU was a pretty decent hub in the days of Sabena!

 

[Jerry]

Brussels - don't need. Not in the EU anymore.

Malta would be nice to have back. Budapest would be also nice addition.

We have Gdansk already and Wroclaw. Looks like the 3rd will also allow for frequencies to be increased at NCL.

Brussels is a city break destination in itself it's not just about the EU.
As for Madrid that struggles from regional airports. Germany only likely as Xmas market destinations and Milan would be a city break destination as well. Tbh I'm surprised it's not already operated from LBA.

 

[LBA4EVER]

Given that Ryanair operated around 3 flights weekly from LBA to Malta pre pandemic, Im really surprised they haven't reintroduced it by now, especially as they now have Malta Air based there.

There are lots of routes that could be operated, increased or restarted by our current carriers at LBA but are not, i can think of many that im sure would be so successful!
what is going on i ask?

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

There’s little economic value (apart from some outbound tourism) with linking up LBA to those destinations due in no small part to the reduction in viability of a link to BRU for obvious reasons. Lufthansa excepted.

BRU was a pretty decent hub in the days of Sabena!

That as well - very little economic value.

Brussels is a city break destination in itself it's not just about the EU.
As for Madrid that struggles from regional airports. Germany only likely as Xmas market destinations and Milan would be a city break destination as well. Tbh I'm surprised it's not already operated from LBA.

Brussels you can reach from Amsterdam or Paris via train and tbf the trains would be better then from Leeds to London.

As for Madrid - it is currently served by Ryanair from Liverpool. A regional airport. There is no reason Madrid cannot be served from Leeds especially given the economic power / value Leeds has.

Germany has some good cities that can be served year around. I believe we do need Lufthansa serving Frankfurt or Munich to assist with connections.

Malta & Budapest both served by Jet2 at LBA

As @White Heather and @LBAYORKIE have already added. There is nothing wrong with some friendly competition as I believe Jet2 need it. Also Malta was served year around which it currently is not via Jet2 option. Therefore I would say would be welcome additions to the destination board from Ryanair.

I guess in my original point was kind of flippant in dismissing the 3rd aircraft in Newcastle. All destinations but Brussels are already served so it's not like they are adding anything different that Leeds is missing out on.

The real test is what they do with the 3rd aircraft during Summer.

 

[Jerry]

As for Madrid - it is currently served by Ryanair from Liverpool

I'd say Liverpool is the exception not the rule and tbf Liverpool as a city destination is very different to Leeds.