Future Infrastructure Developments

[Seasider]

Going through the terminal on Monday, I noticed there were a lot of seats around throughout the departure lounge. I found that they "rock", intentional by the looks of it, but a little alarming when you first lean back.

 

[lbaspotter]

The following press release appeared in the news section on the LBA website today.

http://www.leedsbradfordairport.co....t0LfHt6xlGgDacoYlQuGYkibtAZCMD2_DDzerPRyRjFbg

Exciting changes at LBA

Numerous developments have been progressing within our terminal building over the winter season so far, with more to come ahead of the summer.

Major investment is being made in order to continually improve the passenger experience. The frontage of our building has already been completely opened up with glass frontage – creating more light and space for people walking between check-in halls. Soon, a new flooring will be laid throughout the landside area of LBA to complete the fresh new look for departing and arriving passengers.

An extra security lane is being added in time for the summer, so that passengers can proceed through to the departure lounge even quicker. Once through security, more seating is being added to our food and drink space in the Saltaire bar.

Configurations to our gates are also underway and there will be a first floor extension carried out to create more free seating for departing passengers at peak times.

John Parkin, Chief Executive of Leeds Bradford Airport, said: “All of these developments are critical for LBA to deliver the very best service and experience for all of our passengers. It’s an exciting time here at LBA, where a lot of changes are being undertaken to achieve to provide an updated, more spacious terminal.

“Anybody travelling through in the coming months will notice significant building work being carried out. While this takes place, we thank you for your continued support. We very much look forward to unveiling all of the elements of the terminal upgrades in due course and ahead of what we expect to be our busiest ever summer.”

 

[B737]

Here are a few photos of some of the current work underway at Leeds Bradford Airport. I will try to get some more the next time I'm passing through.
View attachment 4545 Where the new floor will be constructed.
View attachment 4544 The current view of the outside, fingers crossed this area will look and feel much bigger when it is finished with better views of the apron.View attachment 4546 What was the Cargo Shop.
View attachment 4547 What was the Sports Bar. View attachment 4548

 

[B737]

And here are a few more. The new yellow and grey signage which is replacing the old white and blue signs.
View attachment 4550 The new widened entrance area.View attachment 4549

 

[Tarn Spotter]

Notice gate 5 still in play, cant really understand why, its a pain for disabled travellers as you go up in the lift have your tickets checked for boarding then no means to exit to the boarding stand other then stairs, like Trump I cant walk down stairs and its impossible for my OH.
last time we were told could not go back down in the lift and through gate 6 as the gate being used by other flights. It was only when I asked for our hold cases back was a means found to get us to the stand, using the lift and gate 6.
I hope they have developed some plan whereby this situation is avoided in future with all the improvements going on.

 

[White Heather]

I think this demonstrates that the works going on are not insignificant and hopefully will make a considerable difference. LBA were not sure at our last meeting if the infill to the exterior roof would be undertaken this winter or next as it depends on whether it could be finished in time for the summer or not. I am still not sure if it is work yet to start or is being held back until next November.

 

[lbaspotter]

Seem's to have gone unnoticed but Leeds Bradford Airport's Tony Hallwood was on BBC Radio York this past Friday, March 10th taking listeners messages and calls on Jonathan Cowap mid-morning show. He starts of by mentioning some of the new routes been introduced this summer. Also talks about some of the work that's been carried out recently in the terminal and that the new departure lounge extension will start very shortly and hopefully completed over the summer months, so not waiting till next winter season. He also goes on to talk about the Parkway Station.

BBC I-Player link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04tgyts Interview starts from around the 1 hour 9 mins mark

 

[rangieowner]

So, construction work in the terminal during the busy season.............where's the logic then?

 

[White Heather]

So, construction work in the terminal during the busy season.............where's the logic then?

Do it in the summer and they will be criticised. Wait and do it over next winter and they will be criticised for waiting. They probably can't win. If they are doing it over the summer they must have assurances that the contractor can do the work significant disruption or loss of seating. After all, the area they are working on is currently external roofing. They may be able to do a lot of the work in that area without too much impact on the inside and they do, of course, have the option of having the work done overnight to minimise disruption - although that will cost more.

 

[Jerry]

Do it in the summer and they will be criticised. Wait and do it over next winter and they will be criticised for waiting. They probably can't win. If they are doing it over the summer they must have assurances that the contractor can do the work significant disruption or loss of seating. After all, the area they are working on is currently external roofing. They may be able to do a lot of the work in that area without too much impact on the inside and they do, of course, have the option of having the work done overnight to minimise disruption - although that will cost more.

If it's roofing they are doing, then they will be better off doing the work in the summer because there will be less down time due to the weather.

 

[rangieowner]

After all, the area they are working on is currently external roofing

I was referring to the statement Tony made about adding further seating during the summer, sorry should have made that clear........if done at night when it's quieter it shouldn't be much of a problem but I just had visions of throngs of people squashed into even less space while contactors are fitting new seats.........Ironic?

 

[Aviador]

In a building which is crampt at the best of times I'm just pleased they're getting cracking with it.

 

[White Heather]

I was referring to the statement Tony made about adding further seating during the summer, sorry should have made that clear........if done at night when it's quieter it shouldn't be much of a problem but I just had visions of throngs of people squashed into even less space while contactors are fitting new seats.........Ironic?

The work on the exterior roof is for precisely that reason rangieowner - it is being turned into airside seating area and then extended through as a mezzanine floor in the eastern terminal extension, turning that into 2 floors and again, creating additional seats. In total there should be around 400 extra seats, none of which are intended to be linked to eating/drinking outlets - just plain and simple seats, what LBA has needed for some time.

 

[rangieowner]

The work on the exterior roof is for precisely that reason rangieowner - it is being turned into airside seating area and then extended through as a mezzanine floor in the eastern terminal extension, turning that into 2 floors and again, creating additional seats. In total there should be around 400 extra seats, none of which are intended to be linked to eating/drinking outlets - just plain and simple seats, what LBA has needed for some time.

I still think doing it at the busiest time of year is a bad idea but whatever works....not my circus, not my monkeys! Progress is progress and it's good to see things moving forward!

 

[rangieowner]

Surely not much floor space will be lost during the works?

I guess only time will tell.

 

[Aviador]

But will it have an impact to passengers?
The area is outside and any boarding off for safety will just surely be to enclose the exposed windows that face onto the area.
Surely not much floor space will be lost during the works?

I tend to agree with what you say. Passengers will only be impacted at the ground floor boarding gates. The whole area is largely underused. In any case, it is likely cranes will be required at some point to lift parts of the new roofing into place.

 

[lbaspotter]

Now confirmed by the Airport at the MIPIM conference been held in Nice this week that the terminal development works will continue into the summer. As this article has appeared on the Business Desk website this afternoon.

Source: http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/westmidlands/news/747175-airport-unveils-2.5m-terminal-upgrades.html

Airport unveils £2.5m terminal upgrades

16th March 2017: Rachel Covill, Business Correspondent

Development works to the terminal building at Leeds Bradford Airport are progressing on schedule following an investment of more than £2.5m.

Construction work has taken place over the winter, in preparation for what the airport expects to be its “busiest ever” summer season.

The main entrance to LBA has already been transformed; offices have been removed to create increased circulation space between the two check-in halls and the installation of new glass windows and flooring has been
completed.

An extra security lane will be constructed shortly to help passengers access departures quicker and increased space in Saltaire bar is being added in the departure lounge.

Work is underway to create a 6,450sq ft first floor extension to the departure lounge; adding a new large seating area for passengers as they wait for flights.

New car park buses are already in operation and toilet refurbishments have been completed.

The update on the works was made during MIPIM Cannes, where LBA is a sponsor and supporter of the Leeds City Region.

Sophie Murr, head of projects at LBA, said: “These are transformational projects across all areas of LBA, which will make a huge positive difference to the passenger experience. All contractors on site are working 24 hours a day and are undertaking tasks with minimum disruption to passengers.

“It has been fantastic to unveil some of the works already and we look forward to moving forward with all other developments in a timely manner to deliver an updated and more spacious terminal for customers in 2017.”

John Parkin, CEO of LBA, said: “Passengers travelling through Leeds Bradford Airport over the last few months will have already noticed a number of improvements to the passenger terminal and we thank customers for their patience throughout the construction period while these upgrades are put in place.

“These upgrades and those planned for delivery this summer are critical for us to deliver the very best service and experience for all of our passengers.”

 

[leedslad]

Invest in Leeds, we're making space for more benches at the airport!

 

[White Heather]

Nice to see you back with your negativity leedslad.

 

[leedslad]

You're getting me wrong... I'm highly ambitious for Leeds and it's airport. But surely it's an embarrassment announcing this to Europe at an investment conference as news.

My point is that we should be going much further. Surely that's positive not negative.

Negative is accepting unambitious plans and celebrating them.

Weird that I'm the one argues for direct rail link yet you think we should settle for parkway as it'll do...

Why does wanting the best be portrayed as negative. If anything accepting the mediocre is negative. But feel free to think space for benches is an impressive achievement to entice European investment...