Future Infrastructure Developments

[Aviador]

A drilling team were working in the terminal last night. I've been told the airport is possibly now looking at building a first floor level over check-in hall A. I don't know the accuracy of this information, but the mere fact that we've had a drilling team on-site must be a positive move.

 

[pilot_737]

Its about time something started!

I went to Gdansk at the weekend and on the return trip into LBA we were stuck in the arrivals hall for 20mins. The single exit door had broken and would not work. Eventually, after a long wait, they took us through the domestic area.
That arrivals hall really needs expanding! Probably needed just as much as the departure lounges at peak times!

 

[White Heather]

I have to agree Pilot Ben - it is claustrophobic in there, but unless something has changed, the expansion of that doesn't even form part of the terminal expansion and when I challenged that, I was told it would be done in a future project (ie Phase 2), which seems odd to me. If they need more space for the passengers to depart, then it is certain they will need proportionately more space for those arriving too!

 

[Aviador]

I think the problem you encountered was due to an earlier fire alarm activation.

Did you happen to notice the work being carried out in the immigration area? Wood Mitchel are currently extending the area to increase the number of desks available.

It may only be a small job but at least it seems like things are starting to move in the right direction.

 

[pilot_737]

I do believe it was a fire shutter that had broken Aviador. Its just pathetic that it took them 20mins, and another arrival later for them to realise.
It is just staggering that there is only 1 exit door out of the place. The person collecting us ended up having to pay for the short stay car park.
I know there are plenty of fire exits but what if there had been a fire airside? All fire exits lead airside from that area so we would have been stuck!

 

[Aviador]

I believe Immigration now has six desks available ready for the summer. It will be interesting to see if the border authorities ever have sufficient staff to fill all six positions.

Elsewhere, the extension to Jet2's Lowfairfinder House is progressing and work is still in progress to expand the surface water filter tanks in short stay 2. No further news on any terminal work internally or externally.

 

[backtrack]

when is the extension to low far finder house expected to be completed?

 

[wawkrk]

Pardon my ignorance, where is Low Fare Finder House?

 

[dmrodgers]

It's Jet2's Head Office Building at the airport next to the terminal.

 

[wawkrk]

(It's Jet2's Head Office Building at the airport next to the terminal.)

I thought they were portacabins?

 

[tleeds]

So did I - unsure about that one wawkrk.

On another note I believe, that if LBA is to secure more routes and more based aircraft from FR etc. - then they will need to construct new stands. Possibly along Taxiway November opposite C and along Taxiway Delta. I know that it is in the plans but if the airport are serious about attracting more based aircraft - as far as I can see there is no more room.

 

[Aviador]

wawkrk

The portacabins do form the head office of Jet2. It may look untidy perhaps but airlines don't make money out of having plush mirror glass buildings. The inside of the building looks much the same as any other office building.

tomleeds

Many people will agree with your sentiments but I understand Bridgepoint currently have no plans to extend the apron. The airport masterplan outlined by the previous owners highlighted potential space for new parking stands along with a timescale for requiring them subject to aircraft movements. Bridgepoint must think they can achieve growth with the present apron layout. There may be a number of options open to them such as remarking the stands to allow multiple configuration similar to what is already in place on stands 19-24. In addition to this they will need to persuade airlines to use the quieter periods to increase traffic during these periods.

 

[tleeds]

Thanks Aviador, I must be thinking of the Masterplan that the councils outlined in 2005(?). I totally agree with your comments and hopefully, what they think about expansion without the need to extend the apron and adding more stands will happen.
I just dont understand how they think they can attract more based aircraft when there is no room for them to stay overnight.

 

[tleeds]

Actually, sorry about my on-going rant - but I'm wrong.
Last year we had 3 752's from LS, 2 738's from FR, 9 733's also from LS and 1 A320 from TCX based. If the Jet2.com forum is right to say that we are due to lose 2 733's from LS this summer then we have room. I have also calculated that we did in-fact have one free stand last year overnight. So a total of 3 stands this summer are due to be free for a 'larger' aircraft.
Anyone please correct me if I'm wrong again, and sorry Aviador for 'having a go' :blush:

 

[White Heather]

In addition to the above, we also have a KLM F100 or F70 and an Embrear 135 based at LBA. Last summer we also had an EMbrear 145 here that was used for charter work.

 

[wawkrk]

Aviador, I agree with what you say about not wasting money on posh offices. It was the name Lowfairfinder House that threw me. I did not connect it with the portacabins. I imagined a stone building or similar for some reason and could not envisage where it would be.

 

[Aviador]

Yes It's definitely the building plastered with red paint and jet2 logos.

 

[lbia]

Tomleeds,

Last summer Jet2 had 3 x 757 and 8 x 737-300. This summer we have lost one 733, but gained W leg routes from EDI and BFS. You need to remember that just because there are 24 stands, no way could 24 aircraft be accommodated at Leeds. It depends which stands are used for what, for example you could get 4 x 757's on stands 19-24 or alternatively a mix of up to 6 smaller aircraft.

At the moment there is still no room for extra aircraft, LBA does need to add additional stands.

 

[lbaspotter]

Last Summer 2010 LBA had the following 18 over nighting aircraft parked on the apron.
As pointed out already Jet2 did have extra aircraft at times along with bmi parking the spare embrear down in the pan at times last summer.

1x Embrear 135 (bmi regional)
1x Dash 8-Q400 (flybe.com)
1x Fokker 70 (KLM City Hopper)
1x Airbus A320 (Thomas Cook Airlines)
2x Boeing 737-800WL (Ryanair.com)
3x Boeing 757-200 (Jet2.com)
9x Boeing 737-300 (Jet2.com)

This year for summer 2011 LBA will have the 15 following over night based aircarft on the aprons. So LBA is 3x aircraft shorter than last summer.

1x Embrear 135 (bmi regional)
1x Fokker 70 (KLM City Hopper)
1x Airbus A320 (Thomas Cook Airlines)
2x Boeing 737-800WL (Ryanair.com)
3x Boeing 757-200 (Jet2.com)
7x Boeing 737-300 (Jet2.com)

 

[tleeds]

thank you very much everyone for the information. Lbia, yes I forgot about that - the fact that the 6 new stands only hold 4 737/757 aircraft or one A330 etc.
What are the odds though of them quickly getting new aprons up. If RYR want to expand, it looks like only W routes they could operate or routes with no-night stops.