Future Infrastructure Developments

[airforced]

See my answer in the Car Parking thread.

 

[B737]

Stonehouse Projects the company who fitted out the new lounges are on site today and have started stripping out the old lounges ready for refurbishment.

 

[Seasider]

My wife had decided, before all the negative comments, that she would prefer to eat at the pub on the roundabout. At least it will be cheaper!

 

[Aviador]

My wife had decided, before all the negative comments, that she would prefer to eat at the pub on the roundabout. At least it will be cheaper!

I think I'd rather use the airport facilities.

 

[Seasider]

The meal was very nice, nobody warned me about the desserts!

I somehow managed to get into one of the lounges and there was only one person in. The only place you can see anything is from the Burger King/Camden's area.

 

[B737]

Old Premier Lounge currently being stripped out. Looking forward to seeing the area occupied by the Old Premier lounge and Business lounge being opened up. Hopefully it will make the terminal feel a little more open plan. View attachment 8698

 

[B737]

The new seating area which is where the old Premier Leisure Lounge is nearing completion. The new Starbucks is still hidden behind hoardings.View attachment 8858

 

[Bigman]

So, a new LUFC shop in the terminal. Marching on the planes together!!

 

[paully]

So, a new LUFC shop in the terminal. Marching on the planes together!!

Bonza...now all they have to do is get themselves a manager and a team

 

[Aviador]

So, a new LUFC shop in the terminal. Marching on the planes together!!

Bonza...now all they have to do is get themselves a manager and a team

The rise (and fall) of Leeds United - Thread

 

[White Heather]

There is a Consultative Meeting next Thursday so I will post any news regarding terminal developments etc. that is shared with us. Don't forget that what is proposed has to go through planning approval so I imagine that they will be reluctant to go into too much detail, just in case the planners stick their oar in and the design or proposal has to be amended. However, if they are intending to start work in the autumn as David Laws stated, they must already have some plans either drawn up or well advanced so that a submission for planning approval can be made over the next month or so.

 

[B737]

The new free seating area was opened up to customers yesterday. It occupies the area where the old ‘leisure’ lounge was in the old Premier lounge. The old ‘business’ lounge area is still hidden behind hoardings until the Starbucks opens up. The new seating area is full of the usual wide pillars which blight the rest of terminal and has space for approx 50-75 seats, far fewer than the original 500 quoted. Work outside on the terminal front is nearing completion. The new drop off area and camera booth for ‘meet and great’ parking customers is now open. The old Arrow taxi building has been removed and a new taxi office has opened just to the left of the terminal front. Final groundsworks/drainage works are taken place before the final tarmacing can be done. Although this work has tidied up the old terminal front with its numerous raised curbs, it is just effectively a car park. Im hoping they put in some large planters to add a touch of greenery to the area. I’ve also heard a rumour that there will be two covered walkways going in, one from the bus stop lane to the Hall A entrance and one from the fancy Yorkshire Premier car park to the Jet 2 Hall B entrance. The double red lines have yet to be painted on the roads around the airport. There are other interesting plans in the pipeline including the terminal extension which I briefly saw a plan of a few months ago, but until these things are released as public knowledge I feel uncomfortable posting about them here. Cheers.

 

[Aviador]

Thank you for the update. It's much appreciated.

 

[White Heather]

Further to David Laws' recent interview on BBC Radio York in which he mentioned a forthcoming terminal extension, I took the opportunity today to ask for an update on this.

The position is that LBA have set up what amounts to a Project Board to discuss and agree (with all stakeholders) what size the extension needs to be and what facilities it needs to have to provide for the current and the future. Architects will become involved shortly and obviously the design will then be drawn up, with submission to planning late this year and construction likely in Spring 2019.

It was confirmed that this extension would be at the Eastern end of the current terminal and will provide brand new passport control facilities and new baggage re-claim carousels etc. on one level with additional departure gates above. It will result in no further crossing over of departing and arriving passengers within the terminal and will resolve many of the issues that currently attract complaints and cause problems (ie: long walks, steps, escalators not working, lack of space, going up just to come back down, lack of toilet facilities for arriving pax etc.).

The plan at present is to be in a position to submit for planning approval later this year with a view to commencing construction hopefully in the Spring of 2019.

In case anyone was wondering, this extension will replace the previously approved infill extension in front of the terminal which is now viewed as not fit for purpose, because it provides more space but does not resolve the issues mentioned above. That plan will no longer go ahead, hence the current re-surfacing work outside the terminal and the confirmation today that in the autumn of this year, a covered walkway will at last be installed from the terminal front down to the pick up/drop off zone in order to provide some weather protection for those choosing to use that facility.

 

[White Heather]

Bearing in mind the cost of an airbridge, the complications arising from maintaining them and the reluctance of some airlines to use them, I doubt it somehow. It would be nice if they did, but a major surprise.

 

[rmac]

Fair enough, however would airlines like Qatar, Turkish, not expect airbridges if they ever came to LBA. These are the type of airlines LBA is needing.

 

[Aviador]

Bearing in mind the cost of an airbridge, the complications arising from maintaining them and the reluctance of some airlines to use them, I doubt it somehow. It would be nice if they did, but a major surprise.

Fair enough, however would airlines like Qatar, Turkish, not expect airbridges if they ever came to LBA. These are the type of airlines LBA is needing.

On the basis of what the new company has already said, it would indicate there is a move away from aiming the business at only low cost airlines. The new management have said they wish to target business flights and middle eastern routes. To do this they will need to make changes to the terminal to make it more attractive to the kind of airlines they need to attract. One of the things they can do to be more attractive to airlines is to provide more air bridge facilities. This doesn't necessarily mean Leeds needs to have air bridges feeding every stand but a small number of additional air bridges will prove to be a huge selling point to potential new airlines.

 

[lbaspotter]

Has anything been said regards expansion on the Southside?

Specifically Multiflight's future plans in which he (David Laws) was quoted in an aviation magazine earlier this year?

 

[oldendays]

If LBA does purchase additional bridges I strongly hope they come with a comprehensive maintenance package. The bridge on stand 7 is fine but stand 8...the APIS is now decommissioned and removed so it's marshaller-guidance only and the positioning system of wheels and sensors is increasingly unreliable, thus frequently rendering the facility unusable.

 

[Aviador]

The air bridges on stand 7 and 8 are probably over 20 years old. They have moving parts so it's inevitable replacements will be required eventually.

Like so many things in this country we struggle to do basic things that other countries seem to be able to do with no problem.