Future Infrastructure Developments

[ls27]

Yes, I agree and hope White Heather can keep is in the picture. I think that what and how she writes has a very stabilising influence on this forum. Please keep it up.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Now, the industry is slowly picking up and airports that took their turn at standing still are increasing their passenger throughput again. LBA has just had a record year and is yet to get into this summer................................

That is a central point and one that I'm glad you made.

LBA was amongst a handful of UK regional airports that were affected much less by the recession than the majority. Some airports lost 50% of their passenger numbers in a five-year period up to 2013.

Some of the airports that had such a dreadful time in recent years are now amongst the gainers percentage-wise for two reasons: the are currently picking the apples nearest the ground whereas the likes of LBA are looking towards the top of the tree for their new apples; the fact that some of those other airports lost so many passengers means a relatively low number of new ones this year each month represents a spectacular percentage increase in some cases.

If LBA gained exactly the same number of additional passengers in 2014 as it did in 2013 the percentage gain this year would be lower than last because this year has a higher base, so growth would appear to have slowed. Percentage growth would have but actual growth would have been the same.

 

[gavin1980]

I'm an avid reader of these posts and rarely feel able to contribute as I don't feel qualified. I do however bow to the wonderful insights you all post which keep me abreast of whats happening at my local airport LBA. Thank you all for this and that of course includes you White Heather. Keep up the very good work you all undertake in your own time.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I'm an avid reader of these posts and rarely feel able to contribute as I don't feel qualified. I do however bow to the wonderful insights you all post which keep me abreast of whats happening at my local airport LBA. Thank you all for this and that of course includes you White Heather. Keep up the very good work you all undertake in your own time.

gavin, you are as well qualified to give your views and opinions as most of us on here. Some members do have technical expertise in various aspects of the industry but the majority of us, certainly including me, are interested amateurs who post from that perspective.

I look forward to reading more posts from you.

 

[752]

Looking on the multiflight webcam, there seems to be building work (diggers & trucks etc) by the runway and near the apron (on the grass) does anybody know what they are doing?

EDIT* Jet2 757 just landed on 32 and had to backtrack the whole runway to get the parking stands..

 

[stevolba]

Replacing a few blocks, general repairs really

 

[lbaspotter]

Yep it seems that the airport has 3 NOTAMS issued due to the following works which are taking place Today & Tomorrow

C2114/14: Leeds Bradford: Taxiway(s) closed
Q) EGTT/QMXLC/IV/M/A/000/999/5352N00140W005

TWY NOVEMBER CLSD BTN N2 AND RWY 14/32 DUE WIP.
HOLDING POINTS BRAVO AND CHARLIE CLSD. ACCESS TO NORTHSIDE
PARKING STANDS WILL BE VIA A2, D3 OR N3. FOR AIRCRAFT B752 AND
ABOVE, ACCESS BETWEEN NORTHSIDE PARKING AND THE RUNWAY WILL BE
VIA D1. EXTENDED TAXI ROUTES SHOULD BE ANTICIPATED.

FROM: 23 Apr 2014 22:00 GMT (23:00 BST) TO: 25 Apr 2014 05:00 GMT (06:00 BST)

C2115/14: Leeds Bradford: ILS : miscellaneous plain language
Q) EGTT/QICXX/I/NBO/A/000/999/5352N00140W005

RWY 14/32 ILS APPROACHES NOT AVAILABLE DUE WIP, UNLESS NON PRECISION
APPROACHES ARE PRECLUDED BY WEATHER.

FROM: 23 Apr 2014 22:00 GMT (23:00 BST) TO: 25 Apr 2014 05:00 GMT (06:00 BST)

C2116/14: Leeds Bradford: Runway closed
Q) EGTT/QMRLC/IV/NBO/A/000/999/5352N00140W005

RWY 14/32 CLOSED DUE WIP, SCHEDULED FLIGHTS WILL BE ACCOMODATED.

FROM: 23 Apr 2014 22:00 GMT (23:00 BST) TO: 25 Apr 2014 05:00 GMT (06:00 BST)
SCHEDULE: 2200-0500

 

[a300boy]

Went to Dublin last Monday morning and were directed to Gate 5 in the terminal which is up a staircase and then into the LUFC PETE " bus shelter ". As we had to queue up the stairs we found it most unpleasant and the whole area looks unfinished and scruffy.
Sad to see White Heather has made her decision not to post Joint Committee information anymore. I believed this was deemed to be available to the public, however I would like to thank her for the past updates. As a local resident with over 45 years in the business including several years employed at Lbia, what does worry me is the perceived secrecy that seem to surround the whole Joint Committee meeting process and this will only add to that. White Heather has given us an insight into the process which I liken to my old companies internet web meetings which also provoked some strong opinions for and against decisions and the time scales of implementation. Input from staff and other interested parties had to be measured and submitted in advance so answers could be provided.
I am realistic enough to accept you cannot throw money around without justification but I believe the runway restrictions will for ever hold development back and believe that recent decisions made have been influenced by that lack of capability.
Just a final point ! I have just received a local election political flyer promising more support for local road access to the Airport but putting a stop to night flights. They will not be getting my vote anytime soon.

 

[Aviador]

[textarea]In your opinion, has the airport company done enough to upgrade LBIA?

(No) I think the airport company should have done much more to upgrade the airport 47 (84%)
(Yes) I think the airport company has done what it can 8 (14%)
Don't wish to share opinion in public 1 (2%)

Total votes : 56[/textarea]

I'd just like to make things clear so far as Forums4airports is concerned. We continue to remain balanced and opinions from both sides of the fence are more than welcome so long as posts don't contain slander. White Heather's reporting on the Consultative Committee Meeting is welcomed but it is her choice whether to post or not on here and I will respect her decision.

In any case, the proof is in the pudding with the above vote. Recession or no recession, money or no money available. So far 84% of the users of this forum who have taken part in our poll think LBA should have done more to develop the airport..

 

[a300boy]

100 % agree with that Aviador and just for the record my opinion has a habit of reacting to the good postings made on this forum I often think Mmmm hadnt thought of that ! which is why I hope you keep it going. You must stay open to alternative views otherwise there is no forum.

 

[scousefowler]

My view is that they should be more investment up at LBA particularly in the infrastructure airside......

However I am utterly aware that investment projects need to be justified in terms of a return generated, couple this with possibly limited investment funds and maybe you have the current scenario at LBA......

I think there are a number of questions for LBA. The main question is if Bridgepoint are the best possible owners for LBA? Do they have the financial muscle needed to be able to carry out investment at LBA? Where is the master plan with forecasts ect ect? What is happening with the road and rail access? Will any of the investment projects listed above generate a return that justifys the investment? Or has LBA hit its ceiling in terms of its capabilities?

I must admit I'm leaning more towards LUFC Pete's views.... Although maybe not as extreme

White heathers input is always appreciated but debate and opposing views should be what this forum is all about.

 

[lbia]

The airport have created Gate 5A (due to a certain airline refusing to subjecting their customers to the current Gate 5 joke) so very shortly, people will follow a queue system downstairs and exit the terminal in the corner, where the fire door used to be, rather than having to struggle upstairs to go straight back down. Especially as there was only a lift to take people up and not to take them down again....(love to speak to the architect that thought that one up) I think Ryanair will still use the holding area upstairs as they like to get everyone stood queued up before boarding, but they should be the only airline now using the old way.

 

[User0001]

The directors are aware of the feeling on this forum because I tell them at every meeting Moo2009, and I put letters in to the meeting in advance so they have to answer them. The problem is that there are some on here who think they can run an airport better than those who do it. Those people also seem oblivious to the financial problems that have affected most industries, and aviation in particular. LBA bucked the trend for a couple of years. Now, the industry is slowly picking up and airports that took their turn at standing still are increasing their passenger throughput again. LBA has just had a record year and is yet to get into this summer, yet we have LUFC Pete stating that the airport is going backwards - with absolutely no evidence to support it.

I do agree that LBA did state that the Masterplan would be published by the end of 2013 and it wasn't. That is not my doing and I did log a complaint at the lack of information at the last meeting. I am not making excuses for Bridgepoint LUFC Pete, I am stating what is quite obvious to anyone with any understanding of the current situation. As I have told you many times before, I do find out information and plans about LBA that I am not at liberty to discuss on here. If I ever did, I would expect to not be on the Committee for very long. However, if you consider that the information I provide is simply a list of excuses to support Bridgepoint, then fine - you are entitled to your opinion. You may have noticed I said nothing after the last Consultative Meeting, because your response was very predictable. You did not disappoint me.

I have been considering for some time not reporting on the Committee and now is, I think, the time to do it. My colleague and friend on the Committee died suddenly recently, so now I have to do this alone. I take time off work to attend and frankly I am not prepared to do it and post the information here only to be effectively accused of being in bed with Bridgepoint. The constant negativity astounds me to be honest - we all want LBA to do well, but some need a healthy dose of reality.

Firstly, condolences White Heather on the sad passing of your friend. I hope you can go forward on the committee despite this.

You state that some "think they can run an airport better than those that do it". The problem with this statement is that it classes all airport operators as exactly the same. They are not. There is a vast spectrum of great operators down to the downright useless. They have different strategies, different amounts of money to spend and just as important they have different aims. The previous operators of Manchester turned their backs on low cost operators and it cost them hugely and greatly benefitted their competitors. That is just one example.

So yes I do not apologise for calling into question Bridgepoint's running of the airport. My main concern is their ability to do the job that they won the right to do. The airport needed a huge amount of expenditure from the word go and in my opinion it just has not been done. The very basics of providing flexible aircraft parking space has not been touched in 7 years.

I am not the slightest bit interested in the economic climate and nor should anyone else be. If you cannot do the job (which was incredibly clear right from the outset) then you are of no use to LBIA. Any operator who won the right to buy the airport had a MINIMUM requirement to invest heavily to immediately reverse the coma that the airport had suffered in the previous 40+ years of being neglected. What is the point of selling to a company that comes in and does exactly what the councils had done? Yes LBIA took its turn at "standing still" they did it for 50 years while Manchester reaped the rewards.

With the greatest of genuine respect White Heather it really is of little interest of what items of interest you are privy to that you cannot divulge as we can all see what has been done in the last 7 years by the operators- very little and its completely insufficient. You state "that's not my doing". Exactly, no one is blaming you at all for Bridgepoint's failure to keep to their schedule of actions as it wholly down to them. Contrary to what you think I am not negative in the slightest and the reality is - Absolutely nowhere near enough has been done or spent on the airport in the last 7+ years. We've been let down big style and competitor airports are laughing their socks off at us while taking our flights.

 

[Aviador]

The very way the airport doesn't even make any attempt to share it's ambitions and aspirations with local residents worries me because it's like they either have something to hide or they sit with their heads in the clouds. As a company they have a duty to run the airport viably and sustainably. As a neighbour they have a duty to inform and keep in touch with the local community surrounding it.

 

[Moo2009]

Regarding extra stands

Could the airport not tempt jet2 to relocate there HQ building am sure you could get 3 to 4 stands in that area

 

[SNOWMAN]

what I fail to understand is if the airport is working toward5 million pax how can they achieve this with out extra stands?,if what we here is right that jet2 cannot base any more aircraft at lba oweing to stand shortages and the loss of PIA they must have a good ace up there sleeve,roll on the new master plan.
just my thoughts
regards
sm1 :whiteflag:

 

[Tarn Spotter]

"I am not the slightest bit interested in the economic climate and nor should anyone else be."
Fortunately the directors and shareholders have an interest.
To trade insolvent is a criminal offense in the u.k. The last 6 years has seen this country go through the worst financial crisis since the 30's. Brought on by banks lending against lunatic projections by companies in the early years of this century.
Bridgepoint should have our thanks that they have curbed their capital expenditure in the last 6 years.
Bridgepoint will have to go to there bankers with their new masterplan for LBA, it will be the bankers who decide whether it is credible to finance any new development at LBA.
Bringing in new owners will not solve this financial, money is raised from share holders, bond holders or banks, they want to see a return on their money.
I believe LBA should concentrate on developing links to hub airports and forget about any aim to be a long haul airport. The airport is never going to have the infrastructure to support this aim.

 

[SNOWMAN]

tarnspotter
which hub airports would you like to see at LBA,and don't forget most of the growth has come from jet2 and how can they grow the LBA market with out basing more aircraft at lba? 1 extra stand for a 737-800 min 14 trips per week for 5 months=4984 seats per wk could keep jet2 holidays happy at their home base.
regards to all
sm1

 

[Aviador]

The problem with attracting more hub airports is the ones we need are considered long haul. They are within reach of LBA but the airlines serving them are tending to go for aircraft that are on the limits on LBAs operating capabilites. LBA can no longer rely on airlines like Jet2 and Ryanair because they are operating fewer and fewer year round services. If LBA doesn't broaden it's horizons it will quickly become a summer only bucket and spade airport.

 

[Tarn Spotter]

Snowman:
Would certainly like to link up with madrid (South america) as a hub, proper use of paris, improvement in heathrow (early am), Instanbul.
The PIA route was very much a one off, dont think Leeds could generate the traffic to fill large aircraft on long haul flights, irrespective of infrastructure issues.
using Madrid, Paris and Instanbul as both city visits and like LHR as a hub, could be the way forward.
Flybe has shown over the last 6 months the hub connection flights can work.