Airport Consultative Committee [Questions & Responses]

[A400]

Thanks WH for the update

 

[AirBingley]

Thank you for the positive news on some sort of terminal upgrade which is good news - I'm curious where the airport sees recovery coming from with the loss of BA and Flybe and the 3rd based FR - commercially sensitive of course but much as we love Jet2 there needs to be some fresh blood to spread the risk!

 

[White Heather]

Thank you for the positive news on some sort of terminal upgrade which is good news - I'm curious where the airport sees recovery coming from with the loss of BA and Flybe and the 3rd based FR - commercially sensitive of course but much as we love Jet2 there needs to be some fresh blood to spread the risk!

Agreed, but unfortunately LBA do not share any information relating to new airlines and/or routes until all contracts are signed and they are ready to go public. Commercial in Confidence and all that. So even if they have 'plans', we won't know until everyone else does. If course, there are always rumours.......

 

[752]

Has there been a meeting this year yet? if not when is the next one scheduled? it will be interesting to see what the airports new terminal extension plans maybe.

 

[White Heather]

Has there been a meeting this year yet? if not when is the next one scheduled? it will be interesting to see what the airports new terminal extension plans maybe.

There was a meeting a couple of months ago but I was unable to attend, as was Aviador as my named deputy. The minutes didn't make particularly interesting reading and were talking about the delays with the new terminal. It was just a few days after the meeting that they pulled the plug on it.

I hope to be able to attend the next one and they did say that information on the extended terminal would be shared at future consultative meetings.

I note that having cleared the staff car park to carry out preliminary works to drainage for the new terminal extension, this car park is now back in use until such time as it is cleared once and for all.

 

[White Heather]

Today's Consultative Meeting report.

1. CEO report.

Vincent Hodder, who incidentally is very impressive, gave a detailed explanation for the recent problems at the airport. Here are the key facts:
A challenging time for the airport and it's passengers. Media coverage however not always accurate.

In December 2021 LBA commenced recruitment for airport posts, in particular security. The Govt. then re-imposed restrictions with the recruitment stopping until the situation became clear.

In January 2022 recruitment re-commenced, but there was little interest due to the depressed nature of aviation. This was illustrated by the annual jobs fair, which attracted just 70 attendees, compared to the usual 450+.

The timescale for new employees to clear the Govt. checks is 15-16 weeks with various checks, each of which LBA has to pay for. As a result, there was no way to get the staff trained and in place for the upturn in passengers in April.

Demand has been remarkable which exacerbated the situation. May saw 347,000 pax, which is 88% of
the pre pandemic level (May 2019). Last week saw an average 14,000 per day. Saturday was 15,000. Total for the week 97,000.

Passengers arriving early having been panicked by the media and ignoring LBA instructions to arrive no more than 3 hours before, made a bad situation worse. Pax turning up 4, 5, and 6 hours before their flight. One passenger checked in at 0330 as the desks opened but was not flying until mid afternoon, 12 hours early.

Airport management including Vincent Hodder have been managing queues and all staff having been assisting in some way. The airport have increased pay rates and introduced loyalty bonuses to help retain staff. They have now recruited all necessary staff and have over recruited to ensure there is cover for absences.

Generally, until recently, security operated with 1 or 2 lanes open out of 4. From last week this increased to 2 with up to 3, and from Monday 13th, 3 lanes will be open from early morning until late afternoon. As a one off, on Saturday, all 4 lanes were open and there were no queues at all at 0630.

From 29th June all 4 lanes will be open.

Fast track has never been suspended but was capped at 35 pax per hour. This will increase to 50 from Monday 13th. However, the airport have a contract with Ryanair that allows them to sell fast track on line and these have to be accommodated.

The airport are now pulling out any queuing pax 1 hour before their flight closes. Missed flights are now restricted to pax turning up late or those who have failed to respond to boarding instructions.

Ryanair, at LBAs request, have increased their check on opening to 3 hours for which LBA pay them.

From July normal terminal service should be assured.

2. Night flights.

Cllr Walshaw raised concerns over the number of night flights. These were confirmed to be up 10%, but we'll within the night quota which is 2,800 movements in summer (1200 in winter). Figures are little different to 2019.

3. Nicola McMullen

Passenger numbers up 36% in May over April.
Nothing about any Islamabad flights.
Flybe demand for LHR described as soft. They are planning a sustained marketing campaign to boost demand. No mention of code sharing.

4. Terminal development.

The terminal extension is being redesigned internally. They are at Stage 2 design now, with a report and rough costs now with the Board. Approval is expected.

If approved it moves to Stage 3 design, where all aspects are firmed up and all elements of the design are completed and priced. This stage also includes consultation with airport stakeholders and partners.

The completed Stage 3 design costs then need final sign off by the Board and it then goes to tender. That is a fairly lengthy process for a project of this size.

It is expected that construction will commence later in 2023 as the process cannot be done in time for this winter. The board also need to see that the airport is operating normally before committing to the project.

4. Car park safety changes

Increasing problems caused by illegal parking on airport access roads including families unloading children on roads with passing traffic, plus cars tailgating others out of car parks to avoid paying. This resulted in the action being taken to install double red lines on all airport land roads with £100 fines (£60 if paid within 14 days). The airport are employing a company to manage this and will see very little of any fines. It is not money making scheme but a deterrent. They would prefer to issue 0 fines.

 

[SierraHotel]

Thanks as ever WH for the comprehensive report. Slightly disappointed that terminal extension is still seemingly a way off considering that works had already commenced some time ago (admittedly ground works only). Why does any development take so bloody long when it comes to LBA???

 

[White Heather]

Thanks as ever WH for the comprehensive report. Slightly disappointed that terminal extension is still seemingly a way off considering that works had already commenced some time ago (admittedly ground works only). Why does any development take so bloody long when it comes to LBA???

Because what was designed first time around in 2019 is being revised. So effectively starting again but within the external design which can't change. Also, they said the scheme includes reconfiguration of the existing terminal, which under the old scheme was a later phase and not designed. This time they seem to be designing the entire scheme for the extension and the existing building.

 

[Aviador]

I never thought it would come to this but I hope they take onboard the points I raised previously. I'm sure the updated plans will be significantly improved on the original plans.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Thanks WH.

 

[CM.]

Passengers arriving early having been panicked by the media and ignoring LBA instructions to arrive no more than 3 hours before, made a bad situation worse. Pax turning up 4, 5, and 6 hours before their flight. One passenger checked in at 0330 as the desks opened but was not flying until mid afternoon, 12 hours early.

With regards to this I’d also say that this is one of the reasons I’ve seen a surge in the use of Jet2 twilight check in as there a lot more bags coming through now than before.

 

[Finger66]

The lack of any info re Pakistan flight details does suggest these are a non starter - for now at least.

The BE LHR news is also slightly disappointing but unsurprising. Let’s hope a decent marketing campaign and expected rail strikes give the route a major boost. And let’s hope BE are playing any possible code-shares close to their chest and have asked LBA to do the same until anything is in place.

The delay in the terminal is also disappointing but makes perfect sense that they are now looking to get the absolute best from the only plans they can move forward with.

In summary I think everything has to be put into perspective here. Yes demand is bouncing back but the whole industry is still to fully re establish itself as we emerge from the pandemic

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Shame about FlyBe, really doesnt sound good. Hopefully the threat of a rail strike will boost bookings temporarily.

 

[deepdale2]

Thank's once again Heather for the detailed airport report

 

[752]

Thank you for the detailed feedback WH regarding the meeting, however I cant helping feeling not too much has been said at all regarding route development / route recovery, EZY, EI, GR how they are preforming, the new FR routes etc, just touched on Flybe, which I think would be an obvious anyway.. Good news regarding security. But I just cant help feeling its not as much info as what we usually get!

I myself have opted to get the train down to London this month, due to security queues/reliability. I do not want to turn up 2/3 hours before for a AM flight down to LHR.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Thank you for the detailed feedback WH regarding the meeting, however I cant helping feeling not too much has been said at all regarding route development / route recovery, EZY, EI, GR how they are preforming, the new FR routes etc, just touched on Flybe, which I think would be an obvious anyway.. Good news regarding security. But I just cant help feeling its not as much info as what we usually get!

I myself have opted to get the train down to London this month, due to security queues/reliability. I do not want to turn up 2/3 hours before for a AM flight down to LHR.

I believe customers get automatic Fastrack. The main danger would be them cancelling the flight at short notice.

 

[White Heather]

Thank you for the detailed feedback WH regarding the meeting, however I cant helping feeling not too much has been said at all regarding route development / route recovery, EZY, EI, GR how they are preforming, the new FR routes etc, just touched on Flybe, which I think would be an obvious anyway.. Good news regarding security. But I just cant help feeling its not as much info as what we usually get!

I myself have opted to get the train down to London this month, due to security queues/reliability. I do not want to turn up 2/3 hours before for a AM flight down to LHR.

They really don't say a lot and when the meeting is on Teams, as it was yesterday, it's more difficult to ask questions. Much of the information on routes and passenger figures is regarded as Commercial in Confidence. Airlines dont like their loads being made public. Similarly, new routes are rarely mentioned until they are formally announced. Unfortunately I cannot provide information that doesn't exist.

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

It’s very interesting re: check in times. As someone who works at the airport site, it was noted by myself last week Jet2 we’re not opening until -3 before. This is unusual for the airline who, for the afternoon wave, usually have majority of the flights open and check in freely flowing. This was, as you imagine and has been reported, causing backlog and passengers just hovering around the check in hall until the check in desks are opened. This in turn with arrivals and the security queue caused quite a number of people in a small space. Surely best to have people queued up then hovering about in such a small tight space. It’s a shame the cafe didn’t open fire exit doors and have a open area for customers to sit outside whilst they wait for check in - like they did a fair few years ago.

I wonder what difference twilight is making to the queues in the am peak? I can imagine at opening a big queue mostly made of Jet2 customers as they won’t open check in till -3. So all will be twilight. Good for the customers, but if your starting off with a queue, bad for security. As it’ll take a while for backlog to shift.

It’s good to also note that they are recruited, in fact over recruited. Let’s hope this elevates the pressures and any over time needed is covered due to this over recruitment. Hopefully, especially on peak days (Saturday and Sunday) they can open security at 02:30 to ensure the twilight jet2 customers are through before the check in desks open. Better for everyone.

As for the terminal development. Very interesting and I like the fact they will redevelop the terminal in the midst of construction of the extension etc. Much better then building it, then having an internal re-design. Though I expect that would happen in a winter period.

This is good news all round. Did he give any indication as to what they’ll do regarding the layout? I’ve always thought, the best thing to do, would be swap security and arrivals over from their current locations. All arrivals should be within the new extension, and ground floor only, and security should be where the current baggage hall is. The old security lanes(present) could be another bar/restaurant or just seating for pax. I guess that would also include a full re design of the flow of the terminal also.

That would alleviate terminal congestion in peak summer when you’ve got Jet2 check in hall busy, security queue which does reach the arrivals exit even in summer, and arrivals flowing. Very interesting and hope we get to see what the airports planning soon.

Final thoughts anyone know what’s happening with Jet2’s check in hall and the baggage hall. Both were temporary structures way back when, but seems to be permanent.

 

[CM.]

I wonder what difference twilight is making to the queues in the am peak? I can imagine at opening a big queue mostly made of Jet2 customers as they won’t open check in till -3. So all will be twilight. Good for the customers, but if your starting off with a queue, bad for security. As it’ll take a while for backlog to shift.

What I can say is many more people are using it now than they were before.

 

[White Heather]

As for the terminal development. Very interesting and I like the fact they will redevelop the terminal in the midst of construction of the extension etc. Much better then building it, then having an internal re-design. Though I expect that would happen in a winter period.

This is good news all round. Did he give any indication as to what they’ll do regarding the layout? I’ve always thought, the best thing to do, would be swap security and arrivals over from their current locations. All arrivals should be within the new extension, and ground floor only, and security should be where the current baggage hall is. The old security lanes(present) could be another bar/restaurant or just seating for pax.

Nothing was said about the layout, as it's not finalised yet, but, the previous 2019 plan had all check in desks in one area of the terminal, where security and Check In Hall A are now roughly, with security relocated to where baggage reclaim is now, and all arrivals coming in via the extension to the building. The extension also provided 3 additional departure gates, 3 double sized baggage carousels, and a substantial increase in passport control desks, plus a significant amount of additional departure seating on the upper floor. It was designed to cater for wide bodied aircraft too.

I am pretty sure that the extension will be built and put into use first and any reconfiguration to the existing terminal will be done as phase 2, almost certainly over the winter months, so there may well be a pause between finishing the extension and starting phase 2, but it makes sense to do the design work as a single scheme with the same design team and potentially the same contractors.

The disruption will be huge, and that was one if the reasons they wanted to build a new terminal instead..This is a scheme that will certainly test the architect and contractors in terms of the programme of works and I will be surprised if it doesn't end up as a 24/7 scheme given the need to complete by the start of summer. A delay could be disastrous. Even then, such as relocating check in and security isn't for the feint hearted! It could all go horribly wrong.