Future Infrastructure Developments

[whoshotjimmi]

Just to be completely cynical, this is just another "make do and mend" from LBA rather than the sweeping modernisation that is so desperately required.

 

[White Heather]

It is another 300 seats - which are needed. Short of building a complete new terminal we are only ever going to get a bit here and a bit there, but if it delivers what is needed, looks good and is comfortable, I don't really care. Something is better than nothing. We have hit 3.5 million pax now with a busy winter to come and an even busier summer next year - assuming all our airlines are still flying. It won't be too long before the extension is built - 2 years I reckon and it will be going up - or up already.

 

[B737]

View attachment 3972 View attachment 3973 View attachment 3974 Hoardings have been put up at the front of the terminal and around the old car rental desks.

 

[Aviador]

Thanks B737, hopefully the new frontage will allow some light into the building when it's finished.

 

[lbaspotter]

Thanks B737, hopefully the new frontage will allow some light into the building when it's finished.

Oh "B737" them pictures you've taken tonight had me thinking the stalled terminal building extension build was about to start at long last.

What glass frontage is this you on about Aviador? As I've not seen any notice for planning application on the Leeds City Council website..

 

[B737]

Don't get too excited. I believe these works are just to widen the concourse between Halls A & B by removing the old car rental desks and the area where WHSmith used to be based landside. The black glass panels will be replaced by glass to allow more light into the terminal to make it feel more open and improve the ambience.

I understand from a member of the security team that there are also plans to increase the security area to allow space for 7 lanes. The old staff security lane by the information desk will also be reopened to reduce the number of staff passing through the main security area.

These are relatively small changes but hopefully they will make a big difference.

 

[Aviador]

Spot on there mode1.

The void area you speak about is situated behind the World Duty Free shop, the thin walkway section just before you come out into the gate 10 area. It would be the next logical step and it's the last remaining part of the old terminal that doesn't have a first floor. It wouldn't be easy to achieve though as I recall the opposite void location was filled in during the Burger King development a number of years ago. It required extensive strengthening of the structure at ground level leaving much of the arrivals reclaim area reduced to an extremely small area during the works. If the last remaining void was filled, a new location for domestic arrivals would need to be found during the construction phase.

View attachment 3975
Image: leedsbradfordairport.co.uk

 

[lbaspotter]

This is the official reply I received from LBA this morning on Twitter regards the Hoardings going up yesterday around the terminal building.

LeedsBradfordAirport‏@LBIAirport
@rossbaileyleeds Whilst this is not the terminal extension, we are commencing internal alterations that will improve the quality of space around the main entrance of the terminal, ready for next summer. Best wishes

 

[Aviador]

Just to be completely cynical, this is just another "make do and mend" from LBA rather than the sweeping modernisation that is so desperately required.

In the early days of Bridgepoint taking over the airport John Parkin said the airport would no longer be expanding in piecemeal add-ons yet that is exactly what Bridgepoint are doing. To be completely fair to them though, Bridgepoint are only doing now what should have been done under council ownership albeit well over two decades ago.

Point to note: The last terminal extension worthy of calling it an extension was the arrivals walkway and administration block extension back in 1996 20 years ago! Back then the council said the terminal capacity was 3m. We're 20 years on and at 3.5m and still waiting for a terminal fit for purpose!

 

[Seasider]

Interesting read the past few posts. I have not been through the airport since last November, but will again next month. It will be interesting to see what differences (if any) have taken place.
I can remember the "new" terminal being opened in 1968.

 

[AirBingley]

This has just appeared as a press release......

Monday 17th October 2016: Significant investment is being made to the terminal building at Leeds Bradford Airport to enhance passenger experiences, with building and installation work taking place over the winter period.

Work is now underway at LBA, which will see a number of elements open in time for next summer’s peak season. Around £1m is being spent on the upcoming immediate work, including:

•  Terminal front works, which will incorporate a glass frontage; creating more light and space in the landside walkway and check-in area;
  
  
•  Changes to the departure and arrival gates, which will help to improve passenger journeys through the building;
  
  
•  Improved toilet facilities;
  
  
•  New flooring throughout the landside and airside areas.
  
  Tony Hallwood, Aviation Development Director at Leeds Bradford Airport, said: “We have just recorded our busiest year yet, with 3.5m passengers travelling through LBA in 12 months. With pas- senger growth expected next year, we are now further investing in our facilities across the terminal building to enhance the journey through the airport.
  
  “Passengers travelling through LBA while work is underway this winter will not experience disruption to their journey and we expect much of this phase of work to be complete by summer 2017. This is an ex- citing time in the development of Leeds Bradford Airport, as we continually strive to deliver a much im- proved customer experience alongside an increased choice of destinations for business and leisure passengers.”
  
  Leeds Bradford Airport currently offers direct flights to 75 destinations and hundreds more worldwide through four hub airports; Heathrow, Amsterdam, Dublin and Barcelona. The airport will later this year publish its final Masterplan document: Route to 2030, which outlines LBA’s plans for the future.
  

 

[lbaspotter]

Just found these tweets on the airports twitter feed and it looks like this work dose not include the air-side departure lounge extension which they recently gained planning permission for. See

Source: https://twitter.com/AvAnalyst/status/788293787093196800

Aviation Analyst‏@AvAnalyst
@lbiairport does this work include the infill to the departure lounge and the extra seating as per your recently approved planning app ?

LeedsBradfordAirport ‏@LBIAirport 1h1 hour ago
@AvAnalyst It does not include the infill that planning has recently been approved for although it is hoped that these works will progress very shortly. Best wishes 2/2

 

[Aviador]

The improvements are definitely welcomed improvements, especially those planned for landside areas. I do hope the flooring tiles will be replaced with proper marble style flooring similar to those used in the "circulation zone" as opposed to the plastic tiles used at the moment.

 

[oldendays]

I want the toilets in baggage reclaim to be destroyed and rebuilt from scratch. For years they have been leaking, dirty (in spite of cleaners' best efforts), smelly and generally inadequate. Certain LBA departments and business partners use them in the absence of their own facilities (Border Force can get very arsey about this) and they simply aren't good enough. What must passengers think ?

 

[White Heather]

I understood that all toilet facilities were being completely refurbished, top to bottom, so assumed these were included. How long is it since you used them oldendays (and I agree they, along with the whole baggage reclaim area) are, or were substandard. So did LBA management!

 

[oldendays]

Early Monday morning, White Heather. Early morning is when the cleaners do their first round so the bogs are at their most fragrant or least offensive, depending on one's perspective. I should add that I am referring to the gents'. I can't speak for the ladies' but I wouldn't expect any significant difference.

 

[White Heather]

Early Monday morning, White Heather. Early morning is when the cleaners do their first round so the bogs are at their most fragrant or least offensive, depending on one's perspective. I should add that I am referring to the gents'. I can't speak for the ladies' but I wouldn't expect any significant difference.

Well the latest press release from LBA this week, referring to the £1m terminal works states that this includes works to upgrade toilets. As these in the baggage reclaim hall haven't been done in the previous works, I can only assume they are to be included in the works being done over this coming winter. Here's hoping.

 

[oldendays]

The snag is providing alternative facilities while the current ones are put out of their misery. Might be an idea to close one arrivals baggage belt for a few weeks over the winter, knock a wall down and put in a Portakabin containing temporary lavs. We'll see and the sooner the better.

 

[Aviador]

Early Monday morning, White Heather. Early morning is when the cleaners do their first round so the bogs are at their most fragrant or least offensive, depending on one's perspective. I should add that I am referring to the gents'. I can't speak for the ladies' but I wouldn't expect any significant difference.

"Bogs" is the right term for these toilets as is "fragrant" albeit not of sweet smelling potpourri kind. The brown tile grouting isn't terribly pleasing either.

I once asked the airport cleaners why they no longer use bleach to clean the toilets. They said it was for health and safety reasons. Bleach is the only thing that will clean up these toilets short of ripping them out and starting again.

You could only possibly have a discussion about toilets in the Leeds Bradford Airport Infrastructure Developments thread, you can't make this stuff up.

 

[oldendays]

Bleach would only scratch the surface. The plumbing is shot, the urinals are blocked, the traps leak, only one hand-dryer works. To tackle all these problems the walls would all have to go to gain access. So whichever plumber gets the job would need to start again, and make bigger facilities while they're on.

Speaking of toilets, the basement bogs near the Ryanair offices could use some attention as well. And they're only a few years old.