Using Leeds Bradford Airport Questions & Reviews

[The Pole]

As you say not good but at least only a few days until extension is open and it wasn't raining

 

[White Heather]

Came back this afternoon on FR2504….great flight but….aircraft parked up and had to wait 15 mins for buses to arrive…then when we got to the stairs at gate 5 they were 100’s of passengers along the hallway and waiting outside on the tarmac…never experienced anything like this before and all I can say….thank goodness it wasn't pis*ing it down….not good, then to top it off, as I came out of the so called ‘Premuim Short Stay Car Park’ which is not cheap the gate didn't open…I pressed the button and the guy said “sorry, the camera is to low to read your number plate” yet the camera that lets you in isn’t? Love LBA but silly things like this need sorting. Oh and by the way…7 Passport Control desks with only 3 open?..

So, how long did it take you overall from landing to leaving the terminal?

Unfortunately, LBA can't control how many Border Force desks are open. They can complain, and ask for more staff to be provided, but ultimately the Home Office provide what they provide, which clearly isn't enough today. Perhaps some were in the extension area sorting out their equipment prior to going live?

As that queue was reaching outside, that's probably why you had to wait for the buses. They're not going to add another plane load to a queue thats already well outside until it's at least getting close to the entry doors. They use the bussing of pax to control the flow within the terminal, especially if several flights have all arrived together..

 

[Aviador]

As that queue was reaching outside, that's probably why you had to wait for the buses. They're not going to add another plane load to a queue thats already well outside until it's at least getting close to the entry doors. They use the bussing of pax to control the flow within the terminal, especially if several flights have all arrived together..

Yes when you look at the full picture you can see why it made more sense to hold passengers on the aircraft until one of the earlier flights had cleared. The new arrivals facility can't come soon enough.

Checking back at FR24 it would appear there were in the region of around 900 passengers arriving in just over 30 min which is close the limit of the current arrivals hall.

 

[White Heather]

Yes when you look at the full picture you can see why it made more sense to hold passengers on the aircraft until one of the earlier flights had cleared. The new arrivals facility can't come soon enough.

Checking back at FR24 it would appear there were in the region of around 900 passengers arriving in just over 30 min which is close the limit of the current arrivals hall.

It's always a problem when so many arrive in quick succession and why the extension is so vital. Usually flights are not scheduled to all arrive together, but with delays, they still do. The airport will also have to bear in mind that there's probably a maximum number of people allowed within that area of the terminal to comply with fire regulations and if they're likely to exceed that, the flow can be managed by holding them on the aircraft, or, the buses, although that is less than ideal.

 

[BCFC]

So, how long did it take you overall from landing to leaving the terminal?

Unfortunately, LBA can't control how many Border Force desks are open. They can complain, and ask for more staff to be provided, but ultimately the Home Office provide what they provide, which clearly isn't enough today. Perhaps some were in the extension area sorting out their equipment prior to going live?

As that queue was reaching outside, that's probably why you had to wait for the buses. They're not going to add another plane load to a queue thats already well outside until it's at least getting close to the entry doors. They use the bussing of pax to control the flow within the terminal, especially if several flights have all arrived together..

So, how long did it take you overall from landing to leaving the terminal?

Unfortunately, LBA can't control how many Border Force desks are open. They can complain, and ask for more staff to be provided, but ultimately the Home Office provide what they provide, which clearly isn't enough today. Perhaps some were in the extension area sorting out their equipment prior to going live?

As that queue was reaching outside, that's probably why you had to wait for the buses. They're not going to add another plane load to a queue thats already well outside until it's at least getting close to the entry doors. They use the bussing of pax to control the flow within the terminal, especially if several flights have all arrived together..

1h 35m from landing to exiting the car park….bonus was our suitcase was waiting for us on the carousel. The passengers going to FAO were a just standing in the walkway waiting for us to disembark and the co-pilot said to the stewardess that they would pick up a delay due to this….you know how quickly FR like to turn around.
On another note, the plane was only about 60-65% full.

 

[BCFC]

White Heather, regarding Border Control, are we no better off in the new extension if they only have 3 or 4 staff on duty, or do we have new E Gates in there as well?

 

[White Heather]

White Heather, re Border Control, so if they only have 3 or 4 staff on duty we are no better off in the new detention or do we have new E Gates in there as well?

Well there are more desks for sure. Let's hope border force fully staff them when they are all needed. At least, if there is a queue, the queuing area is large and there should be no situations where people end up outside. Therefore, no waiting on the plane. Or on the bus.

As for E gates, the airport intend having several, but because the government were having issues with existing equipment, we were told they had not renewed the contract, and were looking for alternative suppliers/kit. Therefore, Border Force won't install E gates in the new extension until the new kit is available. So initially, there probably won't be any, but they are coming .

 

[Yordas]

Just arrived back this afternoon from Funchal, from arrival to putting the kettle on in Guiseley 50 mins.
6 of 8 Border Force positions manned, quite a long queue but moving well. But nobody directing you to next available position. Bags arrived on the belt within 5 minutes of getting into he arrival hall. Obviously a lot of finishing touches to do but far better than before.

 

[Aviador]

Just arrived back this afternoon from Funchal, from arrival to putting the kettle on in Guiseley 50 mins.
6 of 8 Border Force positions manned, quite a long queue but moving well. But nobody directing you to next available position. Bags arrived on the belt within 5 minutes of getting into he arrival hall. Obviously a lot of finishing touches to do but far better than before.

Thanks for the review. How busy was the arrivals hall? How do the carousels compare with the old ones?

 

[EX9]

Just arrived back this afternoon from Funchal, from arrival to putting the kettle on in Guiseley 50 mins.
6 of 8 Border Force positions manned, quite a long queue but moving well. But nobody directing you to next available position. Bags arrived on the belt within 5 minutes of getting into he arrival hall. Obviously a lot of finishing touches to do but far better than before.

The handling agents have not presented passengers to a desk for some time. This took them away from other duties as its their responsibility to get them into the arrivals hall and UKBF's to process them.

 

[HX3]

I see the Benidorm enthusiast, a Leeds lady who resides in Benidorm has posted on her thread about using LBA. She was favourable about the extension but called the old part filthy in capitals. Video also uploaded which doesn’t look great. Unfortunately I couldn’t add a link but she has a very big following, so not good for LBA.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

I see the Benidorm enthusiast, a Leeds lady who resides in Benidorm has posted on her thread about using LBA. She was favourable about the extension but called the old part filthy in capitals. Video also uploaded which doesn’t look great. Unfortunately I couldn’t add a link but she has a very big following, so not good for LBA.

I hope you submitted a post 'putting her right'

 

[HX3]

I wish I could put her right, but unfortunately the video she put on did show the old part to be very unclean.

 

[Yordas]

Sorry for the delay in responding. We arrived on stand at 15:40 , we were on the air bridge stand but walked in to the new arrivals flow. The crew did ask were we being bussed from that stand but we walked.
So you feed into Passport control from 2 sides plenty of people joining I saw at least 2 other flights disembarking. There is a display in Passport control showing baggage belt info, but looked like they were not deleting flights from the list as it was showing details of a 11am flight that arrived at 11:08.
As I said the belt started quickly after we arrived by the belt, our bags came through quickly so we were out in the first few. Normally we have always had a long wait for bags.

 

[Sputnik1]

As I said the belt started quickly after we arrived by the belt, our bags came through quickly so we were out in the first few. Normally we have always had a long wait for bags.

This is interesting. You're not the first to notice a reduction in first bag time. The new belts are harder for baggage agents to tip bags onto, being sensitive to bag spacing, and the 3-cart limit down in the undercroft has played havoc with Jet2 inbound procedures, with most flights having 4 carts' worth of bags. I'm interested to see where these time savings are coming from.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

I wish I could put her right, but unfortunately the video she put on did show the old part to be very unclean.

I mean pointing

This is interesting. You're not the first to notice a reduction in first bag time. The new belts are harder for baggage agents to tip bags onto, being sensitive to bag spacing, and the 3-cart limit down in the undercroft has played havoc with Jet2 inbound procedures, with most flights having 4 carts' worth of bags. I'm interested to see where these time savings are coming from.

Im interested to know more about this system. Is that 3 carts per belt, or overall?
Seems strange that theres only provision for 3 carts when the vast majority of flights need 4.

 

[Sputnik1]

Im interested to know more about this system. Is that 3 carts per belt, or overall?
Seems strange that theres only provision for 3 carts when the vast majority of flights need 4.

3 per belt. 4 was trialed, both before construction and after, and there just wasn't enough space. Even 3 carts is tight. In peak times there's a struggle to get the time, staffing and bag tugs required to make an extra trip to reclaim.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

3 per belt. 4 was trialed, both before construction and after, and there just wasn't enough space. Even 3 carts is tight. In peak times there's a struggle to get the time, staffing and bag tugs required to make an extra trip to reclaim.

Oh dear, sounds like fundamental problem. So for every Jet2 flight they need to use 2 belts.

 

[Aviador]

Oh dear, sounds like fundamental problem. So for every Jet2 flight they need to use 2 belts.

No just a procedure change so a second tug with the fourth cart will be needed. That shouldn't be a huge change.

 

[jason1-11]

Doesn't bode well for future Jet2 A321 ops. Surely, there must be more to this than meets the eye.