Leeds Bradford: EasyJet Flights, New Routes & Schedule Updates

[SierraHotel]

Its all been very gloomy on the LBA route development of late. How are Infrabridge going to secure a return on their £100m investment?

 

[Finger66]

I think that statement may prove to be optimistic, and may not age well.

As @YorkshireLad says @Starflyer is usually bang on the money and with nothing really positive from him I too fear that the end of U2 at LBA is nigh but LBA will say we can still grow "With Or Without You"

 

[Statto]

Its all been very gloomy on the LBA route development of late. How are Infrabridge going to secure a return on their £100m investment?

Infrastructure investors tend to look at long term. 5,10 years. They are used to looking through market dips and will try and focus on long-term "fundamentals" as they refer to it. If the market shrinks for a while because of fuel prices, consumer confidence or whatever, then their question will be "is this a forever thing" or a blip.

 

[752]

easyJet have been sold to Apollo a US investment company, maybe this is what everyone is referring to. Not sure how positive this is for easyJet I haven't read much positive comments regarding it

 

[Seasider]

I do not understand where members are getting this "gloom and doom" theory from. Yes we have lost Sun Express, concern over easyJet, but our biggest airlines are putting on new destinations and increasing frequency.

 

[White Heather]

OK, so even if Easyjet withdrew, it doesn't necessarily mean they wont be back in the future. They left Southend. Now its a base. They closed the Newcastle base. Now its back and expanding.

All the routes lost are Easyjet Europe, predominantly operated by A319s which they are in the process of disposing of. Belfast is Easyjet UK and predominantly A320s, doing ok and has been operating 5 years. There isn't really any reason to axe it unless it is to boost figures at MAN.

There is so much bad stuff going on at the moment, and reading yet more depressing news here I need like a hole in the head. I am rapidly starting to hate my phone and t'internet.

 

[Aviador]

I believe if easyJet disappears from Leeds, it's because we are in the midst of an economic slowdown and global crisis, and it has nothing at all to do with Leeds Bradford Airport. What easyJet does right now is up to them. They aren't in the greatest of shape, and it is right that they get their house in order first before venturing to pastures new.

 

[lbaspotter]

I think that statement may prove to be optimistic, and may not age well.

I think @Starflyer is playing with us all and knows more than he’s letting on. I honestly don’t see us losing EasyJet, but that my thoughts only. Its a lot better than alll the doom & gloom that’s been posted on this forum over past few weeks/Month.

 

[Finger66]

I think @Starflyer is playing with us all and knows more than he’s letting on. I honestly don’t see us losing EasyJet, but that my thoughts only. Its a lot better than alll the doom & gloom that’s been posted on this forum over past few weeks/Month.

And what do you "base" that theory on @lbaspotter

 

[Starflyer]

I think there is a reason to be concerned here. And it's specific to LBA rather than more broadly to do with today's company-wide stuff about EZY.

 

[Finger66]

@Starflyer I am sure you can't say any more, but knowing how accurate you always are, your comments are increasingly concerning

 

[Snackbar]

Its all been very gloomy on the LBA route development of late. How are Infrabridge going to secure a return on their £100m investment?

They already have with the AENA transaction……..They would not have got the deal they did without that investment….

I think there is a reason to be concerned here. And it's specific to LBA rather than more broadly to do with today's company-wide stuff about EZY.

EZY focus is on NCL at the moment and establishing their presence their and that has had a direct impact on LBA…..

 

[Finger66]

Not sure if this has changed recently but BCN not on sale for most of Nov and early Dec, plus the previously known Jan27, but otherwise remains on sale to Sep27.

Belfast remains on sale up to Sep27 with currently no changes to already detailed frequencies.

 

[BCFC]

They already have with the AENA transaction……..They would not have got the deal they did without that investment….


EZY focus is on NCL at the moment and establishing their presence their and that has had a direct impact on LBA…..

Every airport seems to have an impact on LBA….

 

[Aviador]

I think @Starflyer is playing with us all and knows more than he’s letting on. I honestly don’t see us losing EasyJet, but that my thoughts only. Its a lot better than alll the doom & gloom that’s been posted on this forum over past few weeks/Month.

I think he is basing his thoughts on the ACL and that's all. We have seen the failings of following this on numerous occasions. That doesn’t mean it should be ignored but watched with caution.

 

[Pudseylad]

I think there is a reason to be concerned here. And it's specific to LBA rather than more broadly to do with today's company-wide stuff about EZY.

Concerned in what way?
A bit of a broad statement from where I'm sitting!
Given you're saying it's specific to LBA and loads on certain routes are reasonably healthy/heading in that direction, as highlighted in this thread, is it more to do with operational/infrastructure concerns or managerial/administrative?
I realise that commercial sensitivity may be at play but are you able to elaborate?

 

[Fernley]

Looks like easyJet CDG ends in February!

 

[dmrodgers]

Looks like easyJet CDG ends in February!

The end of easyJet at LBA is near. Shame as it wasn't that long ago that we were all getting excited about a base.

 

[SierraHotel]

BFS and BCN only ex LBA from S27 onwards.

 

[Aviador]

Looks like easyJet CDG ends in February!

Seeing a booking horizon end in February is standard easyJet inventory management rather than evidence of a route being quietly dropped. Lets wait and see rather than making assumptions that EasyJet are leaving LBA.

Concerned in what way?
A bit of a broad statement from where I'm sitting!
Given you're saying it's specific to LBA and loads on certain routes are reasonably healthy/heading in that direction, as highlighted in this thread, is it more to do with operational/infrastructure concerns or managerial/administrative?
I realise that commercial sensitivity may be at play but are you able to elaborate?

I tend to agree. StarFlyer based their previous thoughts on slot requests and while this is a method that can be used, it isn't fully accurate as they are frequently chopped and changed.

The argument that LBA is somehow failing or that passengers won't use easyJet locally completely ignores how regional travel habits actually work. IF EasyJet did decide to leave LBA it wouldn't be a wise move in my opinion.

People in West and North Yorkshire don't want to drag themselves over the Pennines to Manchester or trek down to the Midlands if they can help it. Local catchment loyalty stays with the local airport every single time, provided the flights are there.

A prime example we are well aware of here is the whole TUI and Doncaster Sheffield saga. When TUI pulled out of LBA to focus on expanding at DSA, the corporate assumption was that Yorkshire travellers would loyally follow the TUI brand down the M18. Instead, passengers voted with their feet, stayed local at Yeadon, and switched straight over to Jet2 and Jet2holidays. Jet2 stepped in, picked up that market share, and never looked back. When DSA eventually closed, TUI had to come scrambling back to LBA to rescue their schedules. Passenger loyalty belongs to convenience and the local airport, not a logo on a tailfin.

Looking at easyJet’s strategy at LBA through that lens, I don't believe they are failing, they are being smart. They know Yorkshire has a massive catchment area that prefers flying from Yeadon. Using "away based" aircraft from major hubs lets them tap directly into high margin leisure and package holiday demand without the massive overhead of fighting an immediate, full scale base war against Jet2 and Ryanair.

With the £100m LBA:REGEN terminal investment transforming passenger processing and gate capacity, the operational excuses for airlines underutilising Yeadon are disappearing. Yorkshire remains one of the strongest, most lucrative travel markets in the UK. easyJet is simply building a steady, high margin foundation here, and as terminal operations smooth out and fleet deliveries continue, LBA is in a prime position to see that footprint grow.

In the meantime it is inevitable that EasyJet will chop and change routes and timings until they are satisfied with the loads and yields on routes served. When LBA can handle more flights, be that though the finished terminal REGEN and with based equipment, only then are they likely to offer more from LBA.