Leeds Bradford: General Airport Discussion & Updates

[White Heather]

Undoubtedly one of the best appointments ever at LBA in my view. With Tony here, we could achieve a lot that we never really thought could happen. Lets face it - how long had we been hoping for PIA to no avail, yet Tony arrives and so do they. Now Ryanair open a base, and I still think Flybe will follow. The overnight stop of a Dash 8 to operate LGW seems like the prelims to opening a base in the future - possibly from Summer 2010, or when BMi push off - whichever comes first.

I have never met the guy but spoke to him once on the phone and was very impressed. No airs and graces either - he actually phoned me to respond to an e mail I had sent to my contact at LBA - which he had no reason to do other than to explain the position re PIA at that time (before they officially announced their arrival).

Seriously impressed so far!

 

[backtrack]

Can he really bring in Wizz Air though, with the conditions and situation previously mentioned?

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Heather,

I think he lives in the Manchester area (but I'm sure you will forgive him).

Anyway that was the reason given for his departure from Bristol after five years saying he wanted to be able to spend more time nearer his family.

John Parkin brought Go to Bristol which of course led to easyJet and TH was at the airport in the early years of the 'noughties' when Bristol went from strength to strength with new airlines seemingly popping up nearly every month, with Continenatal to Newark his masterpiece.

We are now beginning to see their influence bearing fruit at LBA.

 

[doofhead]

With the announcement of easyjet to close its base at East Midlands, could LBA pick up Easyjet through John Parkin`s contacts! Or will Jet2 see it as a quick chance to expand EMA even before it even arrives there ?

 

[TheLocalYokel]

It looks as though easyJet is following Ryanair and moving aircraft abroad because of the UK's APD.

 

[backtrack]

Logical decisions really for the airlines, whether we like it or not.

 

[White Heather]

I don't think it is any co-incidence that Jet2 are planning to expand at MAN just as Ryanair pull out, and then they announce a base at EMA as Easyjet do likewise. Clearly Mr Meeson has sources or, the pull outs were known about in advance and the airport bosses have gone to Jet2 and asked if they would fill the void left.

I can't see us getting Easyjet at LBA as well as Ryanair and Jet2. Two's company, Three's a Crowd! I think Flybe could come in though as they seem to operate differently to either Ryanair or Jet2.

 

[backtrack]

With a decent sized base at LPL, not too far away, we wont see EZY at LBA. Yes, it would be nice, but hardly likely to happen. They also said they are moving some of their aircraft to bases within Europe, with less focus on the UK as a whole, there is another reason why cannot see them operating from LBA.

And as you quite rightly say Heather, THREE is a crowd, and LBA is not big enough for all three main UK low cost carriers.

 

[Aviador]

[textarea]Love really was in the air for Rebecca!

A champagne celebration for Rebecca Newby and and Lee Parkhouse with Mark Pinder, of Jet2.com cabin crew (centre)

LOVE was in the air on board a Leeds Bradford flight to Alicante when a Brighouse hairdresser proposed to his long-term girlfriend.

Lee Parkhouse who works at Taylor's in Park Street, Brighouse, prepared his 30,000ft proposal by getting in touch with Jet2.com before the flight to let staff know his intentions and to request that some chilled champagne was on hand to celebrate, providing she said yes.

Luckily for the 35-year-old his girlfriend of 10 years Rebecca Newby, aged 27, immediately accepted and happily showed off her engagement ring to everyone on board the plane.

After the excitement of the flight, the couple both from Brighouse, enjoyed a relaxing romantic break in Alicante, celebrating their good news.

Lee said: "I was absolutely delighted when Rebecca said yes, I wanted to make my proposal different and something we could both look back on in years to come. It made our holiday together even more special and memorable."

The bride-to-be Rebecca who works at Renny Taylor's hairdressers in Park Street, said: "I was so shocked when Lee got down on one knee in the aisle of the aircraft but absolutely thrilled at the same time. I can't wait to marry Lee.

"It was an amazing proposal, one we can remember forever and a great story to tell our friends and family. My head is quite literally in the clouds."

Source[/textarea]

Congratulations to the pair, but I can't think of a more 'common' way to propose. :rose: 🙄

 

[WYIA]

LOL

"After the excitement of the flight, the couple both from Brighouse, enjoyed a relaxing romantic break in Alicante, celebrating their good news."

Romantic....+.....Alicante ermmmm?

 

[WYIA]

Away from LBA but of interest, a Contact Air Fokker100 operating a Lufty flight from TXL-STR made a dramatic emergency landing this evening at STR with comple main gear failure.

2 are in hospital for observation after a full scale evacuation as the aircraft scratched down the runway amid sparks and smoke. Footage is on BBC News website.

Quite an eyeopener, it could be the aircraft KLM cityhopper got rid of to Contact last year (PH-MJL), its at an airport i go to every month and its on an aircraft type i work on.

 

[Aviador]

Forum the PIA thread...

Should (or can) Leeds Bradford Airport ever change it's name?

Personally I am happy with the name as it is 'Leeds Bradford International Airport' or if they feel they must change it then 'Leeds International Airport' would be fine. I really don't think they need to alter it at all. It does what it says on the tin so to speak. People often comment that they don't like the fact that they include the word International, but the airport is an International airport operating flights across Europe, to Africa, the Middle East and America. All be-it not that often to the latter destinations. They still count.

From what I gather looking at the bumph regarding the sale of the airport, the name itself is supposed to be ring-fenced to ensure that Bradford stays in the title for the foreseeable future. I can't imagine how Bridgepoint can get around this clause if they wish to alter the name of the airport unless they pay Bradford to allow them to remove it?

For me an alternative name would need to highlight the importance of the City of Leeds or even the Leeds City Region as a whole. Interestingly when Carcraft opened a showroom on the outskirts of Leeds, they named it Carcraft Leeds Bradford, but they have now reverted to calling it just Carcraft Leeds.

 

[Bigman]

How about Leeds West Yorkshire International?

 

[White Heather]

Leeds International Airport would be my choice - looks good and sounds good too. If they even change the name they really shouldn't try and be too clever. Simple is best in my view.

 

[lbaspotter]

Hi all, very interesting discussion this is. But I have another twist for you all to consider.

Why dose everyone think they are going to change the name?

If you read that article/interview by Tony Hallwood in Airliner World magazine it dose not state they are go to change the name. My thinking was that they were going to have to keep the name Leeds Bradford Airport. As far as I understand when the 5 local councils sold the airport they made a deal with Bridgepoint capital so that the name could not be changed and the words Leeds and Bradford would have to stay even if the new airport company wanted to alter it after a while.

What I think is happening is that the airport are going to change the airports corporate image. E.g. New website and logos and a new slogan and so on.

Also if you look at some other airports when the have a corporate id change they are dropping the word International.

So maybe they may decide to just go back to Leeds Bradford Airport again with a new slogan like fly “the LBA way or Yorkshire’s international gateway to the world".
Well that’s my thoughts on this issue.

 

[Bigman]

They had a very 'inconvenient' day at the airport yesterday. All the bogs were shut due to a problem with the drains. They were informing passengers to go straight through as the airside ones were working. Non-flying punters had to use the downstairs loos next to gate 20.

 

[yorkshire]

i think they were taking the pi..

 

[Bigman]

That's just the point. They weren't!!!!!!

 

[wawkrk]

When I flew to Murcia last week I was very surprised to see my suitcase had a "Heavy" label attached,"21.7 kg"
With the allowance from Jet2 being 22kg, all luggage can now be potentially classed as heavy.
A few years back it used to be 30kg or more.
How long before the H & S brigade start labelling "Danger,Suitcase"

wawkrk

 

[backtrack]

Any piece of luggage over 20kg should have the orange heavy label attached with the weight clearly written on. Thats not just jet2, thats everyone.