Here is an update from today's LBA Consultative Committee Meeting:
Summer 2019: Jet2 flights are due on sale very shortly and the airline are in the process of loading them into the system. LBA expect a 2nd phase of flights to be uploaded later, which (they hope) will include 2 or 3 routes that are new to Jet2 from LBA.
I am not sure if it has been reported previously but TUi are dropping their Tenerife winter sun flight from LBA for winter 2018-19. Due to the time it operates, arriving late in Tenerife, it apparently has lost out to alternative flights from Jet2 etc. and was in fact their worst performing route this winter. Sadly, the axe has extended also to summer 2019 as they will not be operating the Tenerife route from LBA, or (and I know at least one member who will be unhappy to know this), to Malaga. That route is also dropped after we have only just got it back. However, there will not be a cut in flights overall and these two routes are being replaced by Antalya (another to Turkey!), and more interestingly, Dubrovnik.
As many will have noticed, Thomas Cook still do not have a base at LBA for summer 2019 and have announced flights for next year that mirror this summer (2 x Dalaman, 2 x Antalya & 1 to Palma). Apparently this is for the same reason as this year. A leased aircraft is not obtainable due to significant shrinkage in the availability of such aircraft. I am not sure but it may be that these are leased for more than one year at a time. We will have to wait and see what they do from 2020. However, flights for this year are apparently selling well and for summer 2019, LBA are reasonably confident that an additional flight will be introduced to Enfidha, Tunisia which Thomas Cook recently re-introduced.
LBA management are continuing to pursue new carriers and routes and are hopeful that there will be something positive to announce for summer 2019. For the time being, it is likely that passenger figures for this year will be slightly down on last year due to the loss of Monarch, Thomas Cook's inability to open the base they promised initially, and Ryanair not adding any peak summer additional flights as they did last year. A new flight to Pakistan remains high on the LBA agenda but (for those who are interested) Canada is no longer sustainable from Regional Airports due to the huge changes in the Canadian market. A Toronto route is unlikely therefore in the short term, but it was pointed out that Aer Lingus do operate to Toronto Pearson from LBA via Dublin in addition to their USA destinations (New York, Chicago, Miami, San Francisco).
Terminal and airport generally
The new Cabin Bar opened today and the 3 new lounges within the 1st floor extension open on 11th April, with good advance bookings already. The three lounges will be as follows, all with a view of the runway/apron:
Yorkshire Lounge, capacity 150, for leisure passengers including families & groups @ £24.95 per adult including complimentary drinks, food etc.
White Rose Suite. capacity 85, aimed at premium and business passengers. This lounge apparently has a 'fantastic' view of the airfield with full height panoramic windows. Entry is £29.95 per adult including drinks, food etc.
14/32 Runway Club - First Class, but not just for first class passengers. The best of the three lounges with a capacity of 46-50 (to be confirmed) and a cost of £34.95 per passenger.
All lounges have their own dedicated washroom facilities.
All prices are slightly increased, but the level of comfort and service to be provided will be greater than previous.
Currently, 1 in every 13 passengers use one of the lounges.
In total, the three lounges measure a considerable 845m2.
Meanwhile, the area vacated by the existing lounges will then be refitted to include a coffee shop plus the additional seating previously promised for those passengers who do not wish to use the various café or bar facilities.
LBA management are continuing with their purge on anything that can be described as poor customer service and they state it will no longer be tolerated. They are, where possible, taking the services in house and offering better wage and pension packages to attract the required standard of staffing. They are very much aware of regular areas for complaint, such as escalators switched off and intend to continue taking action to ensure that customers notice a high level of customer service across all areas of the airport, from car parking to cleaning, bars to check in. They acknowledge this will take time but they seem very passionate about this and are looking to replicate the standards achieved at NCL, where various awards have been secured for the levels of service.
Parkway Station
This project is gaining support from all relevant parties and there is real optimism that it will happen. Trains on the Leeds to Harrogate line go to every 15 minutes from December 2018, and the new rolling stock for this line (not actually new trains but fully refurbished ex Scotrail rolling stock) are already starting to arrive. It is still hoped that despite the issues surrounding Virgin Trains on the East Coast line, the through trains to Harrogate from Kings Cross via Leeds will commence in May 2019 using trains with 5 coaches. I presume these are the new ones currently being built in Spain. The location of the Parkway Station will be approximately 250m down the track from the footbridge that spans the track near the entrance to the Bramhope Tunnel - towards Horsforth.
Noise Action Plan
A new action plan is being drawn up (the 3rd) for the period 2019-2024. The draft will be submitted to the Airport Consultative Committee in May of this year and then to DEFRA for comment in August. It is due to final publication in January 2019
1 Hour Free Parking zone
This was provided with 50 spaces but due to the growth of LBA and customers finally realising this option has been there for some years, it is now outgrowing itself. LBA management are also aware that it is not currently on the car park shuttle bus route and therefore those using it have to walk, whatever the weather. They are therefore looking to relocate it. The plus is that wherever it goes, it WILL be on the car park bus route and users will not have to walk. The negative is that it is therefore likely to be located further from the terminal and probably somewhere within what is currently the long term car park. There was a lot of discussion on this and LBA management undertook to take comments away and take these into consideration before making a decision on the location. It was also mentioned that (as we now know) MAN has now introduced a £3 drop off charge for 10 minutes (compared to £3 for 30 minutes at LBA).
Whitehouse Lane/Runway Tunnel on A658
There is a continuing issue with people illegally dropping passengers off near the airport, mainly on Whitehouse Lane, despite the double yellow lines, to avoid paying the £3 drop off charge, and despite the free drop off car park. This is causing obstructions and danger on the road and this has been picked up by and highlighted by the CAA in their 9 monthly audit of the airport. It has been noted that tankers, delivery Jet fuel to the fuel farm have been prevented from turning into or out of the fuel farm delivery area by cars unloading people and luggage. This road, and the A658 are the responsibility of Leeds City Council who have now notified LBA (yesterday) that from tomorrow, 30 March, they will be advertising an order to change Whitehouse Lane, and the A658 through to the end of the tunnel (Yeadon side) to a Red Zone. This will mean the conversion of the double yellow lines to double red lines, and make stopping any vehicle (other than a bus at a bus stop or in an emergency) illegal. The order will be advertised for 21 days, and is likely to be sealed in late April, with the re-lining being carried out late April - early May. From early May therefore, any driver stopping on these roads for any reason, and particularly to unload passengers, will face a fine and I presume penalty points. Leeds Council Enforcement Officers will monitor the roads and undertake the enforcement independent of the airport. The changes are intended to rectify issues relating to Safety, Security and CAA Compliance.
